Los Angeles drivers who park in bus lanes or block bus stops face a new way of getting caught starting Monday, Nov. 2.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will activate cameras mounted on DASH buses to record vehicles parked illegally in bus lanes and at bus stops, as reported by KTLA. For the first 60 days, registered vehicle owners will receive warning notices in the mail. Paid citations begin Jan. 2, 2027, at $293 per ticket, according to Streetsblog Los Angeles.

The program starts on downtown DASH routes A, B, D, E, F and Pico-Union, with 30 cameras, according to LA Mag. A second phase after Jan. 27 will add 20 cameras on routes through Crenshaw, Panorama City/Van Nuys, Watts and Wilshire Center/Koreatown.

DASH serves downtown and 27 other neighborhoods across the city. The program could affect any driver on those routes.

Two forward-facing cameras sit behind each bus windshield. They automatically detect and record potential violations. LADOT staff review the footage before any citation goes out.

The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-1 on Oct. 21 to authorize up to 50 cameras on DASH buses, according to Patch. Councilman John Lee cast the lone opposing vote. Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez was absent.

Lee said it was hypocritical for colleagues to support license plate reader technology on buses while opposing a separate LAPD pilot program using the same technology. He also raised concerns about data access by Hayden AI, the contractor operating the cameras under a proposed three-year, $3.43 million contract.

"I think that this body (should) maintain the same level of scrutiny for all ALPR contracts in the city," Lee said, according to Patch.

LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo said in a statement that illegally parked vehicles block wheelchair ramps and force buses into traffic. "When cars and trucks illegally park in front of bus stops, DASH bus operators are unable to safely deploy wheelchair access ramps," Rubio-Cornejo said.

LADOT joins Los Angeles Metro, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus and Culver CityBus in using bus-mounted cameras. According to LADOT, Santa Monica saw a 52% drop in bus lane violations and a 40% drop in bus stop violations between August 2025 and March 2026 after launching its warning program.

Payment plans will be available for low-income drivers who receive citations, LADOT said. Program details are posted at LADOT Transit.