Santa Monica experiences major decline in bus lane and bus stop parking violations after one year of automated enforcement

Big Blue Bus’s automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement program is making a real difference for transit riders. There were 61% fewer bus lane parking violations one year into the program compared to July 2025, the month when city’s program with Hayden AI started. It’s a similar story for bus stops: there were 40% fewer bus stop parking violations during the same period.

Along certain segments of bus lanes in Santa Monica, the reductions are even more striking: on Lincoln Blvd, several blocks saw over 90% fewer bus lane parking violations in July 2026 compared to July 2025, whereas along bus lanes on Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica, parking violation reductions hovered at around 77%-84%. And specifically for unauthorized parking at bus stops, on Wilshire Avenue and Berkeley St there were 89% fewer violations, and 72% fewer violations on 7th St and Broadway Avenue.

These are huge decreases in the number of vehicles blocking bus lanes and bus stops – in just one year of automated enforcement. But why does it matter?

Illegally parked vehicles in bus lanes and bus stops create huge operational and safety challenges for Big Blue Bus. When cars and trucks park in bus lanes, they force Big Blue Bus operators to merge into general traffic – throwing the bus off schedule and creating more congestion for everyone in the road. This has ripple effects across Santa Monica: consistently blocked bus lanes means consistently delayed buses, which discourages people from choosing transit and prevents riders from reaching their destinations on-time.

Blocked bus stops create significant safety and access challenges for people with disabilities. When a bus stop is blocked by an illegally parked vehicle, Big Blue Bus operators are unable to pull the bus up directly to the curb and safely deploy the wheelchair ramp – meaning that people who use wheelchairs or powerchairs might not be able to access the bus at all. Blocked bus stops also make it unsafe for people with low vision or blindness to access buses.

Big Blue Bus’s automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement program utilizes Hayden AI’s forward-facing camera systems installed on the buses themselves – so anywhere the bus goes, you can get a ticket. Santa Monica recently expanded this program to bike lanes, utilizing the same automated enforcement technology but installed City Parking Enforcement vehicles. (All violations are reviewed by City of Santa Monica personnel before tickets are issued.)

Keeping bus lanes and bus stops clear for buses – not parking – is key to ensuring that Big Blue Bus service is safe, reliable, fast, and accessible for everyone. We’re proud that our technology is doing exactly what it is designed to do: change driver behavior to keep these bus zones clear for buses.