February 26, 2026
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
SEPTA and the PPA are equipping 30 trolleys with AI-powered cameras to automatically ticket cars that park in trolley lanes. The technology already is in use on SEPTA's buses.
SEPTA and the Philadelphia Parking Authority are rolling out AI-powered cameras to penalize drivers who illegally park in trolley lanes, deploying technology that already is used on city buses.
The cameras will start identifying cars blocking the T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and G1 trolley routes Monday. Violators initially will receive a warning, but starting April 1, they'll be fined $51.
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The rollout marks an expansion of the automated camera enforcement program that SEPTA and the PPA launched last year. Hayden AI cameras have been installed on 152 buses to date, and they will be deployed on 30 trolleys "in the coming weeks."
The enforcement program was designed to improve safety and accessibility and manage traffic congestion. Since the bus cameras were activated last year, SEPTA has seen speed improvements of 3-6%.
"Illegally parked vehicles obstructing transit cause delays and slow service and create unnecessary dangers to riders and pedestrians," SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said in a statement. "We have already seen better performance and reliability on bus routes where cameras are in use, and we look forward to seeing the same on trolleys."
Hayden AI's technology scans for cars blocking public transit passage through a forward-facing camera mounted to a bus or trolley. When it finds an illegally parked vehicle, it captures images and the license plate number and sends them to the PPA. Enforcement officers then manually review the submissions before issuing a warning or fine.
New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. also have incorporated the platform into their transit systems. Hayden AI launched pilot programs in Barcelona, Spain, and Braga, Portugal last year.
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