Culver CityBus to Launch Automated Bus Lane & Bus Stop Enforcement Warning Period
The 60-day warning period begins today, March 20th. The ABLE program will improve transit safety, accessibility, and reliability.
Culver CityBus is launching automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement, known as the ABLE Program, systemwide to reduce parking violations obstructing public transit and improve safety, accessibility, and public transit reliability for riders. This program utilizes camera systems installed on Culver City transit buses to detect and enforce instances of vehicles illegally parked in bus stops and bike lanes, which impacts safety and accessible transit service.
Starting today, Thursday, March 20th, drivers illegally parked along the MOVE corridor mobility lanes and at bus stops throughout Culver City will receive warning notices in the mail. Citations will be issued starting May 19th, at which time, violations captured through ABLE technology will be subject to a $293 fine. These are existing violations and fines that are currently only administered when an enforcement officer witnesses the violation. The use of ABLE technology will provide a more robust opportunity to deter these violations.
Vehicles parked illegally in bus lanes and in bus stop zones impact safety and accessibility for all bus riders, especially riders with disabilities. If a bus cannot pull up to the curb because the bus stop is blocked by an illegally parked vehicle, it is impossible for bus operators to safely deploy wheelchair access ramps to the curb. It also forces transit riders to step into traffic lanes to board and exit the bus, where it is harder for bus operators to see them. Enforcement along the MOVE corridor will also provide an additional countermeasure to ensure improved transit times along the mobility lanes and improved safety surveillance for bicyclists using these lanes. The Transportation Department will be teaming up with the Culver City Police Department to identify violation “hot spots” for more focused on-the-ground enforcement efforts.
“Keeping dedicated transit zones clear for everyone who chooses to ride public transit or utilize the shared bike lane is essential to making Culver City safe and accessible,” said Culver City Mayor Dan O’Brien. “We’re excited to deploy proven technology solutions that will help improve longstanding problems created by parking violations in our bike and bus lanes and bus stops.”
Culver City joins other cities in California — including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Oakland, and Sacramento — in deploying automated transit zone enforcement with bus-mounted camera systems. In New York City, where bus-mounted automated camera enforcement has been in effect since 2019, bus speeds have increased by 5% on average and collisions have decreased by as much as 34% along bus routes utilizing this technology.
Named the California Transit Association’s Small Operator Transit Agency of the Year in 2020, Culver CityBus is the second oldest municipally owned bus line in California. Culver CityBus began operation on March 3, 1928, and over the past 95 years, passengers on Culver CityBus have enjoyed safe, reliable, convenient, and friendly public transportation service.
The Culver CityBus fleet is comprised of 54 compressed natural gas (CNG) and Battery Electric (BEB) buses. Culver CityBus operates seven routes, serving nearly 5 million riders annually with a service area encompassing 33 square miles, which includes the Westside communities of Venice, Westchester, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Palms, Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, Century City, Playa Vista and Culver City.
About Culver City
Culver City is a five-square-mile, urban community of 40,779 residents surrounded mostly by the City of Los Angeles but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It is centrally located on the Westside near Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles International Airport. Culver City is particularly known for its well-run public school system, "small town" charm, growing high-tech and creative economies, and a dynamic downtown that is regionally known as a destination for restaurants, live theater, and art galleries.
