The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that two more bus routes will now be equipped with Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE).

The 60-day warning period on the B15 and M31 bus routes in Brooklyn and Manhattan will begin on April 13. Vehicles that improperly use busways and bus lanes, block bus stops, or illegally double-park will receive warning notices in the mail for an initial period of 60 days, followed by summonses thereafter.

The goal of the program is to improve bus service by enhancing compliance with existing traffic rules. Summonses for rule violations start at $50 and escalate to $250 for repeat offenders. 

The two routes are in addition to the 58 routes currently enforced. More than 1,700 buses are now ACE-equipped, covering 560 miles of routes and benefiting over one million customers on an average weekday, according to MTA officials.   

MTA’s ACE Program

ACE enables bus service to run faster, safer, and more reliably for riders. ACE, when combined with dedicated bus lanes and street upgrades, has helped improve bus speeds across the full length of ACE-enabled routes, with some segments achieving gains of nearly 30%, according to the MTA.

The routes have also experienced a 20% reduction in collisions and an estimated 5% to 10% reduction in emissions. There has also been a 40% reduction in the number of bus stops blocked by vehicles on ACE routes. 

The ACE program is administered in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation and the New York City Department of Finance. Once violations are captured by cameras on multiple buses, the resulting video, images, license plate information, location, and timestamp details are securely transmitted to NYCDOT for review by City employees and processing thereafter.

Since its launch in June 2024, ACE has rapidly expanded from a few select routes to a citywide initiative covering all five boroughs, serving bus riders, including a large share of essential workers, seniors, and New Yorkers who rely on transit every day.

The agency reports that the program has demonstrated measurable success in improving bus speeds, reducing collisions, and keeping bus stops clear, ensuring more reliable service for daily bus customers.