An innovative new program between Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) and the City of Sacramento to tackle illegal parking at bus stops is winning positive reviews from riders, safety officials and advocates for the disabled. Known as the Bus Stop Enforcement Program, this initiative aims to improve accessibility and safety for all transit users and bus drivers. 

The launch of this program is particularly timely, as SacRT recognizes International Wheelchair Day on Saturday, March 1, 2025, a day dedicated to celebrating the positive impact of wheelchairs on mobility and independence while advocating for accessibility. Keeping bus stops clear is critical for riders who use wheelchairs, ensuring they can safely board and exit buses without barriers. 

SacRT’s new Bus Stop Enforcement Program uses Hayden AI technology, which is connected to forward facing cameras mounted on the front of buses to photograph and video improperly parked vehicles that block buses from pulling into bus stops. The goal is to stop what has become an increasing safety problem for transit riders and others on city streets. 

The photos, including license plate numbers, are then reviewed to determine if a parking violation has occurred. If so, a City affiliate, Duncan Solutions, mails a $100 parking citation to the car owner. The new program’s citation-issuing period began on February 18, 2025, following a two-month grace period during which the city issued warnings rather than citations to illegal parkers.   

“I’m excited that SacRT and the City of Sacramento are being proactive on this,” said Russell Dawson-Rawlings, a long-time SacRT rider who uses a wheelchair. “This is a great idea. People have been treating bus stops as parking spots for years.” 

The program is part of SacRT’s ongoing efforts to make our system safe, reliable and accessible for all users. “Having those cameras is going to help so much,” Dawson-Rawlings said. He said he often could not use the bus stop nearest to his house, in front of a bank, because drivers so frequently park there. He often has had to wheel himself to the next stop down the line. Other times, his bus driver has been unable to let him off at his stop because a car is parked there. 

Jeff Thom, a rider who is blind, says he has missed buses because of illegally parked cars, even if the bus drivers managed to find a place to stop near the bus stop. 

“As a passenger you don’t want the risk of going into the street in urban areas,” Thom said. “I’m completely blind. I want to stay on the sidewalk. You don't know where the bus driver is going to be able to pull up.” 

Thom, current SacRT Mobility Advisory Council board chairman, said he believes some illegal parkers are not aware of the danger that parking in front of a bus stop creates.  

“I am sure that this is putting people on alert,” he said. “Education is a key to solving problems - along with a bit of enforcement. Most people think, ‘Oh the bus will go where it needs to stop,’ and they don’t realize the problem it causes.” 

When vehicles illegally park at bus stops, they prevent bus operators from pulling the bus up to the curb for level boarding. This makes it dangerous – if not impossible – for bus operators to deploy the wheelchair access ramp for riders using wheelchairs to safely board and exit the bus. 

“The program will provide a broad variety of safety benefits, not only for passengers, but also for buses and even for drivers of private vehicles on city streets,” said Lisa Hinz, Vice President of Security, Safety, Customer Satisfaction and Facilities for SacRT. “When cars are blocking part of a bus stop zone bus drivers are sometimes forced to nose partially into the bus stop area, leaving the rear of the bus protruding out into the street’s driving lane, which can lead to rear-end collisions.” 

Hinz said riders have advocated for some time for the City to take steps to reduce illegal parking at bus stops. Last summer, SacRT conducted a 70-day test study on a two bus routes that found 286 vehicles parked illegally at bus stops, confirming the widespread nature of this challenge in Sacramento. 

“We realized we have a very, very big problem,” Hinz said. For the moment, the new Bus Stop Enforcement System is in place on eight routes - 26, 30, 38, 51, 56, 62, 67 and 68 - covering 206 bus stops. But SacRT hopes eventually to serve more routes, Hinz said. “Once we see progress made, we hope to expand it to our entire jurisdiction.” 

SacRT and city leaders say they believe the program will make Sacramento a safer and more accessible city. 

Priscilla Vargas, SacRT’s Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer, is among those lauding the program. “The bus stop enforcement program is so important, not only for safety for all SacRT services, but also for providing on-time service.” 

SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li emphasized the value of on-time and accessible buses. “This program will help improve accessibility for all riders, especially those with mobility needs, while keeping our transit service reliable and on schedule.” 

The program's benefits extend beyond safety enhancements, contributing to broader operational and financial efficiencies. By reducing instances of blocked bus stops, the initiative minimizes delays, improving bus schedule adherence and reducing fuel consumption caused by idling. These operational gains directly translate into cost savings and increased customer satisfaction. 

Staci Hovermale, City of Sacramento Parking Manager said the partnership with SacRT is an important step forward. “We are committed to making Sacramento a more accessible and transit-friendly city. By keeping bus stops clear, we can better serve all our residents and make sure buses are running efficiently and safely.” 

The program will also enforce bike lane violations to decrease the number of vehicles obstructing bike lanes, supporting sustainable transportation options while fostering safer, more predictable road conditions for all users. The bike lane enforcement is planned to begin later in 2025. 

Sacramento joins Oakland, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York in deploying automated bus stop enforcement with bus-mounted cameras. California Assembly Bill 917 gave transit agencies authority to use cameras to enforce parking restrictions in transit zones. However, the true innovation lies in SacRT’s strategic approach to implementation. Through forward-thinking public-private partnerships with San Francisco-based technology company Hayden AI and the City of Sacramento, SacRT successfully launched a critical safety initiative at no cost. No other agency nationwide has taken this approach with their Bus Stop Enforcement program. 

Charles Territo, Chief Growth Officer at Hayden AI, said his company is honored “to use our technology to help cities and transit agencies improve safety and deliver accessible, reliable transit service, and we’re excited to bring this technology to Sacramento.” 

For information on the new program: sacrt.com/safebusstop 

Blocked Bus Stops: A Wheelchair Rider’s Struggle 

For riders in wheelchairs, like Jeffery Tardaguila illegally parked cars make transit inaccessible and unsafe. See how this impacts real riders and why accessibility matters for everyone.