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Bus cameras being considered by MN lawmakers
Minnesota lawmakers are considering a proposal to start issuing parking tickets using cameras on buses. Lawmakers say this could reduce bus lane blockages. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the latest.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Cities across Minnesota are looking at a new way to keep bus lanes clear and traffic moving, but the idea is raising questions about privacy and enforcement.
Cities explore bus camera enforcement to tackle blocked lanes
What we know:
A new proposal would let cities work with Metro Transit to use automated cameras on buses to issue parking tickets for cars blocking bus lanes, bus stops and bike lanes. Cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Sacramento already use this approach, and they have seen 40% fewer bus stop violations and 20% fewer collisions after installing the cameras.
Sen. Ron Latz, (DFL-St. Louis Park), said, "If they think they're likely to get caught, they are less likely to try. This kind of system increases the likelihood of getting cut, so it brings them into conformity with established standards of behavior."
The tickets would come with small fines and would not affect your driving record. Supporters say the system is a low-cost, high-impact way to encourage drivers to follow the rules and keep bus lanes open.
A blocked bus lane can have real consequences, from making traffic jams worse to delaying ambulances or preventing disabled people from getting home. Ann Shikany with Hayden AI, which sells the automated cameras, said, "When the bus can't deploy its ramp, wheelchair users are required to move into a moving traffic lane to board the bus, and sometimes they're not able to board at all, which can the difference between getting to your destination at all."
At 7th and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, an average of 52 Metro Transit buses are blocked every day. Blockages last an average of 2 minutes, but three times a day, they last at least 10 minutes.
The other side:
Some lawmakers are concerned about expanding surveillance, especially as more cities add speed and red-light cameras. The bill includes a ban on biometric tools like facial recognition and says the cameras could not be used for other law enforcement purposes.
Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, said, "It allows for law enforcement to focus on what they should be focusing on. They obviously can't be everywhere at once. So it's a low-cost, high impact tool to support compliance."
Supporters say that while the number of tickets jumps at first, almost nobody gets a second one—which they see as proof the cameras change driver behavior.
The proposal's future in the legislature
Timeline:
The bill passed a Senate committee Friday, but it is currently stalled in the House. The Senate author said it may have to wait another year before it can move forward.
If the law passes, Minnesota would join a growing list of cities using technology to keep bus lanes clear and improve public transit reliability.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear when or if the House will take up the bill, and there is no timeline yet for when cameras could be installed on buses if the law passes.