The MBTA will begin its Automated Camera Enforcement program on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2026, starting with educational notices for drivers who block bus stops and bus lanes on Silver Line routes SL4 and SL5, the MBTA announced. Fines are scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2027.
MBTA Bus Camera Enforcement: How the Oct. 1 Rollout Works
According to the MBTA’s Sept. 24 release, cameras mounted on buses will capture potential violations, and human reviewers will confirm incidents before notices or tickets are mailed to registered vehicle owners. Boston.com reported the educational period lasts at least 60 days as required by state law signed by Gov. Maura Healey, with SL4 and SL5—running between downtown Boston and Nubian Square in Roxbury—going first.
WBUR reported Alexandra Hallowell, the T’s director of transit priority, said a 30-day winter pilot on four Silver Line buses recorded about 26,000 potential violations. The MBTA said the program is authorized by a January 2025 change in state law and is intended to improve safety, accessibility and reliability when buses cannot reach the curb or use dedicated lanes.
Warnings, Fines and Appeals
The MBTA said first-time bus-lane violations will receive a warning (with a lifetime lookback) unless the violation created a public safety risk, while drivers parked in bus stops will receive tickets rather than warnings because of safety and accessibility concerns. Boston.com reported that once fines begin in 2027, bus-lane penalties rise from $25 after the initial warning to $50, $100 and $125 for later offenses within set windows, and parking in a bus stop carries a $100 fine.
Vehicle owners may appeal within 60 days, the MBTA said. Boston.com reported there are no late fees, but three unpaid fines can block vehicle re-registration until they are paid. Revenue from fines will go to the state’s Transportation Trust Fund, according to Boston.com.
What Officials Said About Privacy and Purpose
Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said in the MBTA release that blocked stops harm riders who need level boarding, including people with disabilities and people with strollers, and that the fall education period precedes January enforcement. Hallowell told the MBTA board the aim “is not to chase after people and to get money out of them” but to change behavior, Boston.com and WBUR reported.
The MBTA said cameras will not be used to track vehicles and that data may be used only to enforce bus lane or bus stop violations under its privacy policy. For other recent transit coverage, see our report on MBTA commuter rail contract bids and the ongoing Green Line core shutdown.