Hayden AI Partners with the Philadelphia Parking Authority and SEPTA to Launch Automated Transit Zone Enforcement

San Francisco, CA – Hayden AI has been awarded a contract with the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) to deploy automated transit zone parking enforcement camera systems on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) buses. Under the agreement, Hayden AI is installing 152 systems on SEPTA buses and in a second phase, 38 systems on SEPTA trolleys, making Philadelphia the eighth major US city to partner with Hayden AI to improve road safety, accessibility, and public transit performance.

Starting April 16, registered vehicle owners of vehicles parked illegally in bus stops and bus lanes in Philadelphia’s Center City and on three West Philadelphia streets will receive warning notices in the mail. Citations will be issued starting on May 7.

This program marks a significant step forward for accessibility in Philadelphia, enforcing parking violations that obstruct bus stops and make it difficult – and often impossible – for people with disabilities to safely board and exit buses. When bus stops are blocked by illegally parked vehicles, bus operators are unable to safely deploy wheelchair access ramps to the curb for riders using wheelchairs, and riders with vision impairment or blindness are unable to safely travel between the bus and curb.

“Using our technology to help make cities safer and more accessible for everyone is hugely gratifying for us at Hayden AI. We are grateful for the opportunity to deliver these proven results to Philadelphia,” said Lisa Schule, Executive Chairwoman of Hayden AI. “Everyone benefits when more people can and choose to ride public transportation. By using bus and trolley-mounted computer vision technology to detect instances of illegal parking obstructing transit, our technology will help change driver behavior and make public transit the best choice for everyone getting around Philadelphia.”

Hayden AI’s technology is proven to help cities reduce parking violations obstructing public transit. The company’s bus-mounted technology is used by major cities across the US — including New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC — to enforce parking violations in dedicated transit zones such as bus lanes and bus stops, resulting in increased transit bus speeds, clearer bus stops, and fewer collisions along bus routes utilizing this technology.

This program will also mark Hayden AI’s first installation on streetcars — a globally-dominant public transit mode, underscoring the ability of Hayden AI’s advanced perception technology to solve multiple urban mobility challenges. Automated streetcar enforcement will begin later in 2025 and will help ensure that street-running trolley tracks remain clear of illegally parked vehicles, reducing a significant source of delay for SEPTA’s large trolley network.