Clear the Lanes, Speed the City: Why NYC's Bus Future Depends on More Cameras

Picture this: another morning, another commute. You’re on the bus, maybe heading to work, perhaps just trying to get across town, and then it happens. The bus grinds to a halt. Not at a red light, not for passengers, but because some inconsiderate driver has decided a designated bus lane is their personal parking spot, their quick-stop deli lane, their whatever-they-feel-like-it zone. Infuriating, isn't it? It’s a scene played out countless times a day on the sprawling, often gridlocked streets of New York City, and frankly, it’s a monumental waste of everyone’s time.

But what if there was a relatively simple, surprisingly effective fix? What if, and bear with me here, we could just… make the buses move faster? Turns out, we can. And we have the technology to do it, if only we'd use it more widely, and, you know, actually allow ourselves to.

The truth is, bus lane cameras, those silent, watchful guardians of urban mobility, are nothing short of transformative. Where they’ve been deployed, buses aren't just inching along; they're actually moving. Think about the M14A/D, for instance, in all its cross-town glory. Or the B44 and M60 routes. Speeds have notably increased on these lines, making commutes, dare I say, almost bearable. This isn’t rocket science; it’s a clear cause and effect: clear the lanes, speed up the buses. It's a demonstrable win for efficiency and, honestly, for sanity.

Here’s the rub, though. Despite the undeniable success, we’re hobbled by old regulations, by a kind of self-imposed inertia. A mere 150 cameras? For a city as vast and dynamic as New York, with a bus system that’s, well, a literal lifeline for millions, that number feels almost comically small. It's like bringing a squirt gun to a five-alarm blaze, honestly. Our city, with its nearly 300 local routes and dozens of express lines, desperately needs more eyes—more digital eyes, that is—on those lanes to keep them clear.

And it’s not just about getting people from point A to point B a little quicker. Though that’s certainly a massive plus. Faster buses mean fewer cars tempted to block those lanes, a ripple effect that benefits everyone. It means people spend less time stuck in transit, freeing up precious moments for family, work, or, heaven forbid, a little relaxation. It’s an equity issue, too, you could say. Many New Yorkers rely on buses as their primary, sometimes only, mode of transportation. Delays hit them hardest, exacerbating existing inequalities.

So, what exactly is stopping us from expanding this proven success? Legislators in Albany, it seems, hold the key. Bills like S.5794-A and A.6315-A are sitting there, waiting, offering a clear, sensible pathway to significantly boost the number of bus lane cameras across the city. It’s not a radical proposal; it’s just common sense, really, a practical application of technology to improve daily life for countless New Yorkers. It’s about making our transit system work, truly work, for the people who depend on it. Let's get those cameras up, clear those lanes, and let our buses, and our city, finally get moving.