Transit police campaign targets drivers in Vancouver bus lanes

In a targeted campaign aimed at keeping bus lanes clear for transit vehicles, Metro Vancouver Transit Police have ticketed close to three hundred drivers so far this week.

The $109 traffic tickets have been handed out along West Georgia Street, West 41st Avenue and Main Street.

Many of the drivers told police they were not aware they had done anything wrong.

"We have a lot of people that are actually just not aware. They always assume that if you see a diamond, it's an HOV lane,” said Const. Peter Kwok of MVTP.

In fact, the diamond symbol commonly seen on roadways simply means a lane is restricted.

Corresponding overhead signs show which vehicles are allowed in the lanes and at what times of day.

Taxis are allowed in bus lanes but Uber and Lyft drivers are not.

Unauthorized drivers may use the lane to make turns, provided they do not enter the lane until halfway into a block and do not proceed straight through an intersection.

"Generally speaking, ignorance of the law is not a defense at law,” said Vancouver criminal lawyer Sarah Leamon. “And so it is important for drivers to educate themselves about the rules of the road before they get into their vehicle and start driving."

A ticket for driving in the bus lane is $109 but it does not come with points on a driver’s license.

MVTP said the enforcement is important because when unauthorized drivers weave in and out of bus lanes to get ahead of traffic, transit drivers may need to stop suddenly, creating a safety issue for passengers.

"There have been times when they have fallen off the chairs and sometimes fallen over while standing,” said Kwok. “This is a safety and awareness thing for all the people driving on the roads."

Through the first three days of the campaign, MVTP said it handed out 275 violation tickets and also caught two impaired drivers who had been driving in the bus lane.