Beginning in May, SEPTA and the Philadelphia Parking Authority will use AI-powered cameras mounted on buses and trolleys to ticket cars illegally parked in bus lanes and blocking bus stops, officials said.
The cameras will be deployed on 150 SEPTA buses and more than 20 trolleys, using the same technology from Hayden AI that was tested in Center City during a more limited trial run two years ago. Hayden AI's cameras scan roadways for cars parked in bus-restricted areas, taking photos of violations and then sending them to PPA with license plate information for staff to review.
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Tickets for blocking bus lanes and bus stops will be $101, PPA spokesperson Martin O'Rourke said.
SEPTA and PPA said the cameras will cut down on transit disruptions and discourage drivers from blocking access to boarding areas, especially for seniors and bus riders with disabilities. They were tested on seven buses in 2023 — all on Routes 21 and 42, SEPTA's busiest — and detected more than 36,000 bus stop and bus lane violations over a 70-day period. The study found that bus stop infractions outnumbered bus lane violations by an 8-to-1 ratio, and about 1 in 5 illegally parked cars caused obstructions for multiple days.
During the test period, PPA did not issue tickets based on data the cameras collected.
O'Rourke said the expanded AI-camera program will start with a two-week warning period from April 16 to the end of the month. On May 1, PPA will begin issuing tickets for bus stop and bus lane violations picked up by the cameras.
Hayden AI has partnered with transit agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Oakland and Washington, D.C., in addition to trial programs in Denver and Seattle. In addition to improving road safety, the company claims its cameras increase the efficiency of bus operations.
SEPTA has looked to use AI in other areas in recent years, including a short-lived partnership with ZeroEyes that equipped station surveillance cameras with gun detection software. SEPTA ended that program last year due to compatibility issues with many of its cameras and ZeroEyes technology.
In parts of Center City along Chestnut and Market streets, the city has improved bus access and rider safety by painting bus lanes red to deter drivers from entering bus lanes. Similar transit-only lanes have been used in New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago.
Latoya Maddox, chairperson of the SEPTA Advisory Committee for Accessible Transportation, said Hayden AI's cameras could make a big difference for bus riders and encourage drivers to be more mindful of where they park.
"For people with disabilities, just one car blocking a bus stop creates a serious hazard," Maddox said after the cameras were tested in 2023. "This is a problem that has been tolerated for far too long."
