New Legislation Allows MBTA to Ticket Drivers Illegally Parked in Bus Lanes, at Bus Stops

The MBTA is taking advantage of technology that will allow the agency to automatically ticket motorists who illegally park in bus lanes and bus stops in Boston. 

New legislation signed at the beginning of 2025 will allow T officials to debut a new program that will mount cameras onto buses to automatically ticket drivers who violate the no-parking rule. Under the new law, the T will only be able to ticket people parked in bus lanes or in bus stops, not moving vehicles illegally using bus lanes. Another new law allows school buses to mount cameras onto vehicles to ticket drivers that compromise students' safety.

“Direct access to the curb is essential for riders to be able to get on and get off the bus safely,” said Alexandra Hallowell, who directs the MBTA's work to innovate bus service, in a statement shared with GBH. “When bus stops are blocked, and buses are unable to reach the curb, riders need to exit the vehicle into the street or can't exit the vehicle at all.”

MBTA officials recently released a request for information to technology companies that could support the agency in developing its automated ticketing system. After identifying a partner to provide the technology, the T will develop an infrastructure for the program during the summer before installing cameras onto the buses during the fall. A soft launch, beginning with cameras on a limited number of buses, will take place in late fall, with an expansion of the ticketing system in 2026.

Under the new state law, drivers who illegally park at bus stops will face a $100 fine. Drivers parked in a bus lane will receive fines from $25 to $125. Additional revenue generated by automatic ticketing will go to the state's Transportation Trust Fund, which supports transportation infrastructure initiatives across the state.