PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) today announced that beginning March 2nd, 2026, SEPTA trolleys serving Lines T1 through T5, along with the G1 route, will be equipped with automated enforcement cameras to identify vehicles illegally blocking trolley lanes and stopping zones (https://youtu.be/Ld957tph0P0). A 30-day warning period will precede active enforcement, with $51 fines beginning on April 1st.

Working with the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Systems (OTIS), the PPA and SEPTA initially launched their Automated Bus Camera Enforcement Initiative back in the spring of 2025. The program aims to improve safety and alleviate congestion by using camera-mounted computer vision technology to enforce violations for blocking bus lanes, bus stops, and trolley zones.

Forward-facing vision technology-equipped camera systems from Hayden AI (https://youtu.be/Es2P86W9Ljo) have already been mounted on 152 SEPTA buses to enforce parking violations that obstruct public transit, and help improve safety, accessibility, and bus and trolley service reliability for SEPTA riders.

“SEPTA is proud to partner with the Philadelphia Parking Authority on this initiative, which is delivering real improvements for our riders,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “Illegally parked vehicles obstructing transit cause delays and slow service and create unnecessary dangers to riders and pedestrians. We have already seen better performance and reliability on bus routes where cameras are in use, and we look forward to seeing the same on trolleys.”

Expanding on the PPA’s ongoing ADA Mobility Access Initiative, PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer said, “Vehicles parked illegally in trolley or bus lanes not only cause unnecessary delays, they threaten the safety and accessibility of all riders.  When vehicles obstruct trolley tracks or stopping zones, the impact is more than a minor inconvenience.  A single illegally parked vehicle can disrupt service for thousands of riders and create unsafe boarding conditions that force passengers into moving traffic,” said PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer.

Legislation authorizing the PPA and SEPTA to operate the automated bus and trolly enforcement camera program was sponsored by Councilman Mark Squilla, and was passed unanimously by City Council in October 2023. Philadelphia will be the first city in the country to implement this enforcement approach on trolleys.

New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and other major US cities currently use camera technology to improve safety and bus performance. In New York City, where bus-mounted automated camera enforcement has been in effect since 2019, bus speeds have increased by 5% on average and collisions have decreased by as much as 34% along bus routes utilizing this technology. Parking violations obstructing bus stops have also decreased by 40%.

“In a city where 42% of Black residents and 50% of impoverished households do not own a car, efficient public transit is paramount to creating a strong transportation network that better provides economic opportunity for all,” said Christopher Puchalsky, Ph.D., Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, OTIS. “The camera-aided bus and trolley enforcement initiative will ease commutes for working Philadelphians, while improving the performance of SEPTA’s system. This partnership between the PPA, SEPTA, and OTIS spotlights the Parker administration’s commitment to intergovernmental collaboration and a vision of One Philly, a United City.”

“Keeping trolley zones clear isn’t just about enforcing parking rules – it’s about keeping Philadelphia moving. We’re excited to partner with SEPTA and the PPA to launch the nation’s first automated trolley zone enforcement program to help make trolley service more reliable, roads safer, and transit more accessible for every rider in the city,” said Marty Beard, CEO of Hayden AI.

Trained PPA enforcement officers will manually review all violations before issuing warnings or $51 citations. The PPA is working closely with SEPTA to install cameras on a total of 30 trolleys in the coming weeks.

“This is a joint PPA/SEPTA initiative that directly supports the City’s Vision Zero goals and aligns with the PPA’s mission to enhance public safety and improve the quality of life for all Philadelphians,” Lazer said.

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About the PPA . . .

Named “Best” city agency for 2023 by Philadelphia Magazine, the PPA is an independent, multifaceted state agency focused on enhancing quality of life and improving public safety, while managing on-street parking and providing garage parking in Center City Philadelphia – and regulating taxis, limos and transportation networks.