CA: Sacramento is using buses with AI-powered cameras to issue parking citations. Here’s why

The city of Sacramento has begun using artificial intelligence to issue fines for vehicles parked illegally at bus stops.

These $100 citations started Tuesday under a joint program between the city and the Sacramento Regional Transit District to improve rider safety and accessibility. The program began in December with a nearly two-month grace period.

Nearly 2,800 warnings were issued during that time.

“Keeping bus stops clear is critical to ensuring the safety and accessibility of our transit system,” SacRT General Manager and CEO Henry Li said in a written statement. “This program is a significant step forward in creating a safer, more reliable experience for our riders and bus operators while promoting sustainable and efficient public transit.”

SacRT has equipped 100 buses with forward-facing cameras to detect cars blocking bus stops. The cameras are powered by artificial intelligence from the California-based software company Hayden AI.

Evidence of violations, including video, photos and location data, are intended to be reviewed by the city before citations are mailed.

The SacRT program is similar to other enforcement initiatives in cities across the country. Last November, NBC 4 in New York reported that a Hayden AI bus-mounted camera system mistakenly ticketed thousands of vehicles for blocking bus lanes.

Enforcement within bike lanes will begin later in 2025, according to the SacRT.

The bus stop program aligns with 2022’s California Assembly Bill 917, which allows transit agencies to use forward-facing cameras to enforce parking citations in transit-only lanes and designated transit zones.

The Sacramento City Unified School District used artificial intelligence-powered cameras on buses in 2022 to capture hundreds of drivers illegally passing the school vehicles, according to previous reporting from The Sacramento Bee.

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