The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA/ Metro) has announced that it will add automated cameras to buses to keep unauthorised vehicles out of bus-only lanes and bus stop zones under an agreement with the District of Columbia.

The new initiative, called Clear Lanes, is modelled after similar programmes, including San Francisco and New York City, and will be the first to use automated camera technology to enforce bus stop zones in addition to bus-only lanes.

Clear Lanes aligns with WMATA’s Better Bus initiative to create better, more reliable service for bus customers. In the District, 140 buses on 31 routes that run along bus-only lanes will be equipped with cameras. Encrypted video and photos from the automated cameras will be sent via cellular directly to the District, which will handle the review, issue citations and collect fines. WMATA will not review or have access to the encrypted video footage.