Culver City cracking down on drivers blocking bus lanes and stops

Heads up, Culver City drivers — new CityBus cameras can catch you blocking bus lanes and bus stops.

Drivers parked illegally in those areas will get warning notices by mail starting Thursday under the Automated Bus Lane Enforcement Program. But the warning period won’t last long: $293 citations begin mid-May.

The program uses bus-mounted cameras to find and enforce violations, which according to Culver CityBus, can improve service reliability and safety for riders by keeping those areas clear for public transit.

The city of Los Angeles has started using a similar enforcement strategy.

What you need to know

Cameras have been installed on Culver City buses to capture drivers blocking bus lanes and bus stops.

The images from the cameras will be manually reviewed by the Culver City Police Department before any citations are issued.

Drivers will get a warning in the mail for the first few months of the program. Fines beginning at $293 will start being issued for first-time offenders on May 19.

You can pay the citation online, by phone or by mail, which you can find more information about here. You can also pay in-person at the Culver City Transportation Department. Payment plans are available for low-income drivers, and you can find the application here.

Officials recommend taking care of the citations as soon as possible. A hold will be placed on your vehicle registration until they are paid, and your vehicle could be booted or towed if you have five or more delinquent citations.

Culver City officials didn’t immediately respond to LAist’s request for an interview.