I'm new to taking the M14 across town from the East Village to Chelsea for work. I keep hearing the buses have dedicated cameras and the lane is 'enforced,' but every morning I watch delivery vans, FedEx, and livery cars sitting in the bus lane with hazards on. Does anyone actually see those cameras doing anything? The M14D picks me up late by the time it gets to Avenue A. Maybe I'm just expecting too much.

Not just you. The cameras only enforce some blocks and only if the vehicle is in the bus lane during certain hours. There was a whole thread about waiting forever: At what point do you cut your losses on a delayed platform and switch to the other side? — same logic. On 14th, the lane gets cleared for a few minutes when a bus comes, but then a truck pulls right back. The M14's real problem is it still stops every two blocks. The camera might ticket after the fact, but it doesn't move the box truck.

Wait, so if the cameras don't stop a truck from double-parking, what's the point? I moved here recently and thought the busway meant no cars, period. I took the M14 at 6 p.m. last week and it was basically a parade of Ubers in the lane. The driver just laid on the horn. Do the bus drivers actually report them or something?

They don't report anything. The camera takes the plate and the city mails the ticket, but half the time the plate is obscured or out-of-state, so good luck. I've been here forever and the only thing that clears 14th is an actual NYPD tow truck sitting at Union Square. The bus lane cameras are mostly revenue on the easy blocks—14th between 3rd and 4th is one big loading zone with zero enforcement.

I've watched the M14A for years! The difference is the newer camera placement on the westbound side near 6th Avenue—have you tried standing there? It catches way more because it covers the Walgreens loading area. But the eastbound side between 2nd and 1st is still the Wild West. Also!! The 14D gets stuck behind the M14A bunching at 8th Ave. That's the real time killer.

Thanks, this is helpful. I'm on the M14D so I get hit by the bunching too. I did stand near 6th Ave yesterday and saw one UPS truck get flashed, but it had paper plates so probably nothing. So is the trick to walk west a couple blocks and catch it before Union Square where the buses bunch? I'm still learning the line.

DykerNewbie, you're not crazy. If you're at Avenue A, the bus already crawled through Stuy Town and the LES where the lane disappears for a stretch. Better move is walk to 14th and 1st and get on at the westbound stop, not Avenue A. Or take the M14A if it comes first and transfer at 8th—both go through the mess anyway. The cameras flash plenty, but the MTA only sees the cash, not the speed.

Ooh transfer game! Have you tried walking to 14th and 2nd and grabbing the M14A/D whichever shows first? The M14A often has longer gaps but less crowded in the Village. But yes, paper plates are the loophole—especially all those delivery apps. I once saw a cop car parked in the lane with the lights off right where the camera can't see, so no ticket. The camera literally cannot ticket a parked cop car if it's not moving? Actually maybe it can, but they won't. Anyway.

Okay so the bus lane isn't actually a bus lane if you have paper plates. That makes me feel less bad for not knowing the rules. I tried the 'walk to 1st Ave' tip this morning. The bus still waited through two light cycles at 3rd Ave because of a double-parked Duane Reade truck. Is there a better crosstown option, or is the M14 just what we have? I saw the L to 8th but that's way out of the way.

The M14 is what we have, but the walking tip helps because you're not relying on the bus to make it from Avenue D. If you're going to Chelsea, sometimes the M23 SBS is slower because of the 23rd Street crosstown crunch. Honestly, the best hack is look at the bus time before you leave; if the next one is 12 minutes away, walk to another stop or jump on the M8 if you're on the south side.

Update: I did the walk to 14th and 2nd this morning and caught an M14A that was basically empty. Made it to 8th in about fifteen minutes, then walked. Not perfect but way less rage. big_city_beth, I feel you on Duane Reade. There's one truck that's always at 3rd by 8:40. Is the M23 SBS actually slower because of the bus lane? I thought SBS meant faster.

SBS means fewer stops and all-door boarding, not a magic forcefield. The M23 has its own bus lane on 23rd, but the stretch through Madison Square and Flatiron is a merge mess with tour buses. I'd stay on the M14 or split the difference. If you're going to western Chelsea, walk from 8th to 9th once you get through the bottleneck. Citi Bike is also right there if you don't mind the 23rd Street bike lane disappearing every few blocks.

Yes! Citi Bike on 14th is not for beginners, but 23rd is okay until you get to the tour bus pile. I'm just happy someone else is mapping the Duane Reade truck schedule!! Has anyone noticed the NYU shuttle buses also sit in the M14 lane near 3rd with the driver eating? Those are not city buses!! They should be in the travel lane. I filed a 311 once and nothing. If we want the M14 to work, all the politicians need to take it one morning.