Starting Monday, newly-installed cameras will be used to clear the bus-only lanes, and violators face a hefty fine.
The five cameras will help police catch drivers who illegally use the as a parking space or traffic shortcut.
"That's why they call it them bus lanes," one East Side resident said. "Not bus and car lanes. Not bus and truck lanes. Bus lanes."
The cameras were installed along First and Second avenues stretching from Lower Manhattan to 125th Street. Exact locations aren't being revealed to tip off potential offenders, and the penalty is a $115 ticket.
The MTA says its not about keeping tabs, but about keeping things moving for the 54,000 riders who take the M15 bus every day. And cluttered bus lanes have been ongoing thorn in the MTA's side.
The MTA says it hopes to install cameras on other bus routes, including 34th street, next year.
