Oct 7, 2009 6:08 am US/Eastern
Coming Soon To NYC: Red-Light Transit Buses
New MTA Head's High-Tech Plan Issues Instantaneous Tickets To Scofflaws Who Use Bus Lanes As Straightaway
Jay Walder's Idea Worked Like Charm In London; Mayor Thrilled With Plan
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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If the new head of the MTA has his way, every NYC Transit bus will have cameras installed that will ticket people who ride in bus lanes instantaneously.
CBS
There's a new chief in town -- and as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's head honcho, Jay Walder says he's ready take his first fight to the roads.
His first proposal is an idea that he says can dramatically improve bus service.
So why is he targeting drivers and just what will it cost you?
New York City buses are going to run on time if the new head of the MTA has his way. He told CBS 2 HD exclusively how he's going to do it.
It will be the transit version of smile, you're on candid camera.
"You and I would never think of stopping our car on a train track, but some how the idea of stopping a car in a bus lane seems acceptable. It's not," Walder told CBS 2 HD on Tuesday.
The MTA's new chief executive has a game plan for improving mass transit here. He wants more people to take buses and he's going to make it more attractive by having the buses go faster.
How? By making sure bus lanes are really only for buses.
He wants to install cameras on the front of buses to take pictures of any vehicles travelling in or blocking bus lanes. Tickets will be issued automatically, just like the city's red-light cameras.
"You go through a process of saying you recognize the license plate, you issue tickets and when you begin to prove to people that a bus lane is meant for a bus and that there's actually an enforcement that takes place people respond. They respond," Walder said.
Bus cameras are already in use in London, which is where Walder worked before taking over the MTA. He said it's an idea that works.
"We did improve the on-time performance of buses in London quite significantly," Walder said.
The state Legislature would have to sign off on the bus cameras, Walder said. Spokesmen for the Senate and the Assembly told CBS 2 HD on Tuesday that it's an idea that has promise. And the recently driver-friendly Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports it, too. New Yorkers have mixed reactions.
"It's more restrictions, in a sense it's like spying," one man said.
"I'm not quite sure, really. I think it's a good idea, but then again when there's a lot of traffic you would like to move into the bus lane. Wouldn't you if you were a driver?" said Alex Picciano of Chelsea.
"All for it, because I'd like the buses to go faster and I'm in a hurry and I don't think people should violate the law," added Bynchas Brenner of the Upper East Side.
"I think it sounds good. Yeah, I think anything, you know, to have people do what they're supposed to rather than holding up traffic would be a good idea," Rhoda Adler said.
The new MTA boss was noncommittal about new fare hikes right now. The next increase is scheduled for 2011.
Walder wants to bring lots of new technology to New York, including new E-Z swipe cards to ride buses and subways and system-wide time clocks to tell you how soon the next bus or train will arrive.
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