Transit police issue 268 tickets during Metro Vancouver bus lane enforcement

According to Metro Vancouver Transit Police, they issued 334 fines to drivers in the region during a four-day campaign against bus lane abuse.

While 268 of the tickets were for violating bus lane regulations, 66 were for other violations, including distracted driving, driving without a license and speeding. Two drink drivers were also pulled over.

The department says the project was in response to complaints from the public and bus drivers that vehicles were using bus-only lanes to get past traffic.

The enforcement took place on four non-consecutive weekdays over a two-week period in Vancouver, Surrey, Delta, Richmond and Pitt Meadows.

On the first day, in Surrey and Delta, police issued 89 fines. Days two and three were dedicated to Vancouver and 211 tickets were issued. In Richmond and Pitt Meadows, police issued 34 fines on the fourth day. Police did not provide a breakdown of how many tickets were issued in each city for bus lane abuse versus other violations.

“We removed two impaired drivers from the road during peak hours on a Thursday. Their removal not only makes other drivers on the road safer, but it also ensures that people going to and from public transport and at bus stops wait, be safer,” said Sgt. Steve Newton in a Thursday press release. “In addition to keeping public transportation moving, safety is always a goal when we enforce the proper use of bus lanes.”

A ticket for driving in the bus lane costs $109, but it does not carry points on a driver’s license.

A diamond symbol on the road or a sign indicates a reserved lane, sometimes a HOV lane, but also a bus lane. Above-ground signs indicate which vehicles are allowed in the lane and when.

Unauthorized drivers are allowed to use the lane to turn, provided they only enter the lane halfway through a block – and do not drive straight through an intersection.

With files from Ben Miljure of CTV News Vancouver