Fines for driving in a bus lane in 2021

What is a dedicated bus lane?

According to the current traffic rules (clause 18.2 of the traffic rules), the bus lane is intended for route vehicles (buses and trolleybuses), as well as passenger taxis.

Attention! If you have any questions, you can chat for free with a lawyer at the bottom of the screen or call Moscow; Saint Petersburg; Free call for all of Russia.

The bus lane is marked with a special sign 5.14. It will be valid until the nearest intersection or until the cancellation sign. In addition, the section of the road along which public transport can move is marked with the letter “A” (it is drawn directly on the road surface).

There are other signs. For example, 5.11 shows that the traffic of route vehicles is organized in the oncoming lane. And signs 5.13.1 and 5.13.2 indicate exit onto such a road.

When can you use the bus lane?

Only the following may move along the designated section of the bus lane:

shuttle buses;
buses heavier than 5 tons, which are included in special lists approved by the executive authorities of Moscow, St. Petersburg or Sevastopol;
trolleybuses;
passenger taxis;
minibuses;
cyclists.

The driver of other vehicles can only travel here for a short time. For example, if he is leaving the adjacent territory, is going to turn around or disembark passengers. However, all this is provided that the bus lane is separated by a broken line, and the maneuver does not interfere with route vehicles.

Car sharing cars are also not included in the list of vehicles entitled to drive in a dedicated lane (clause 18.2 of the traffic rules). Consequently, the rules for driving in a bus lane in a carsharing vehicle are no different from the duties of a driver of a regular car.

There is a popular misconception that you can drive in a dedicated lane on holidays and weekends. Actually this is not true. And the violator will face full punishment. And on some sections of roads there are automatic fixing devices every 100-200 meters. And out of ignorance, a motorist can accumulate fines of 10-15 thousand rubles for one such “departure”.

In fact, there really are a number of cases when entering the site for route vehicles is not punished in any way (and, on the contrary, is even encouraged). So that the driver can enter the lane on weekends, sign 5.14 (lane for route vehicles) must be accompanied by one of the following symbols.

Sign 8.5.2. It means that entry is prohibited only on weekdays. That is, from Monday to Friday.

Sign 8.5.6. The requirements are similar. But in this case, a specific period of time is indicated during which the ban is valid. That is, from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 17:30.

Sign 8.5.3. In this case, the days of the week on which the ban applies are indicated.

Sign 8.5.7. And here only one specific day of the week is marked.

Sign 8.5.5. In this case, the requirements for drivers are similar. There is only one difference: the ban on driving in the bus lane is only valid on weekends.

As you can see, entering the area intended for the movement of route vehicles is only possible if certain signs are present. If they are not there, then driving along such a section is considered a traffic violation. Regardless of the day of the week.

What is the fine for driving in a bus lane in 2021?

In accordance with Article 12.17 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO RF), today's legislation provides for only 2 types of fines for driving in lanes intended for urban public transport (route and school buses, trolleybuses, taxis (licensed and equipped according to special rules in accordance with with laws), as well as buses included by the city authorities in a special register and weighing up to 5 tons), as well as a stop on them.

3000 rub. for the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow.
1500 rub. for all other cities of Russia.

How to appeal a fine for a dedicated lane?

There are several ways to appeal fines received from cameras for driving in a dedicated lane or for leaving it.

Independently contact the center for video recording of these violations.
Contact the traffic police service if they issued this fine.
Appeal to the magistrate's court in cases where all other ways to achieve justice no longer help people.

Naturally, appealing fines is not always successful, but in some cases of identified technical failures or any obvious errors of government services in installing these cameras and recording this type of violation, a fine for driving in a dedicated lane can be appealed. And there were even cases of appealing it via the Internet, although today this is not always the case and not everyone, unfortunately.

People generally have to spend their time visiting courts, the traffic police, seeking justice and solving their problems with fines for a much longer time, and this does not always work out.

A driver who violates traffic rules must pay fines for driving in a bus lane on time. This can be done using the car number or data from the driver’s license on the State Services portal. This method is convenient because you can pay the fine without leaving your home. Straight from your computer chair.

If you need to turn right through a bus lane

There is another situation that is no less difficult for most motorists. What should you do if you need to turn right, but the dedicated lane is blocking your passage?

The traffic rules give a complete and detailed answer here too. Thus, paragraph 18.2 of the traffic rules states that a motorist can enter the area for route vehicles when turning right (do not drive along it, but drive out!). However, it should not interfere with public transport. In addition, this is only possible in cases where the lane is separated by intermittent markings. If the markings are solid, drivers are strictly prohibited from changing lanes into the bus lane. Thus, he cannot make a turn at this intersection. And he has no choice but to drive straight to the next intersection.

When can other vehicles use the bus lane?

Every driver will have questions regarding lane changes, intersections and stops on the bus line. What to do in a situation when you need to turn right, but the public transport lane is in the way. Or if circumstances force you to stop on this section of the road.

Let's look at both situations.

Turning across a lane, changing lanes

The bus zone is separated from the main roadway in two ways:

Continuous stripe marking. In this case, switching to a dedicated line is prohibited.
Intermittent stripe. You can cross the line and enter the minibus lane.

That is, if turning right is only allowed from the bus line, which is marked with continuous markings, then according to the traffic rules you are not allowed to turn right. This also applies to bicycle holders and taxi drivers if a “no entry” sign is mounted above the road.

Also, modern means of fixation detect even the slightest deviation beyond the solid line. Of course, if there is an obstacle in front of you and a maneuver is required, you will appeal your fine. But it’s better to keep your distance and not go beyond the marking line.

Stopping in a dedicated lane

The solution follows from the previous rule. If you cannot cross a solid line, then you are not allowed to stop on a designated road.

However, if the highlighting line is dotted, then you can enter the lane. When crossing intermittent markings, you must make sure that your vehicle will not interfere with the movement of public vehicles. Only in this case, stop within the bus zone. Of course, you should also take into account the area of the “no stopping” or “no parking” signs.

Let us clarify that if the line is still solid, under no circumstances stop in the second lane of the road. This is also prohibited and may cause an accident.

If you need to disembark passengers

The same paragraph 18.2 of the traffic rules states when the driver can change lanes to the bus lane to pick up or unload passengers. The rules here are the same: changing lanes is only possible if the lane is separated by a broken marking line. At the same time, this kind of maneuver should not create interference or interfere with public transport drivers.

If the markings are solid, you cannot change into the bus lane. It will also not be possible to disembark passengers on this section of the road. The fact is that the lane for ordinary cars is the second. That is, stopping here is prohibited.

There is another significant point that many motorists ignore, thereby earning themselves fines. So, if there is no markings on the road at all, but there is a sign 5.14 (bus lane), it is considered that the road is marked with a solid line. That is, it will not be possible to change lanes to board or disembark passengers, much less turn around.

In what cases can you use a dedicated band in 2021?

In some cases, the law does not prohibit motorists from entering this lane when changing lanes in order to make a right turn in accordance with paragraph 18.2 of the traffic rules. But this can be done when the dedicated lane is separated from the rest of the road by a broken line .

Another case when entering the passing lane is still possible in accordance with traffic regulations is the case of boarding and disembarking third parties, i.e. passengers. But this is only if at this stop point the passing lane of public transport is separated by intermittent markings and in such a situation the driver does not interfere with traffic.

A separate reason for entering the lane, which may go unpunished by the traffic police, may be the case of unreadable road markings or covered with snow (or mud), as well as when the driver is trying to prevent an accident (avoiding a collision with a pedestrian or other dangerous road situation that falls into the category Traffic rules 'Urgent necessity' - Article 2.7). But this way you can fight off a fine only when drivers have a reason to refer to traffic rules and the traffic police will loyally assess this situation.

In addition (according to the assertion and frequent beliefs of city authorities and deputies, which not all citizens now believe), separate dedicated lanes can be used on weekends and at night, when there is either no public transport at all, or there is little of it on the road. But experience shows that not many drivers want to check this for themselves, and therefore we need to be especially careful and always careful.

When can you use the bus lane in Moscow?

Most traffic rules apply to the entire country. However, some regional laws may be amended. The situation is especially different in cities of federal significance. In particular, in Moscow.

The difference between Moscow is that here Saturday is equal to working days. And on many sections of the road, instead of sign 8.5.2, sign 8.5.3 is installed here, prohibiting entry into the lane for route vehicles, including on Saturdays. This can only be done on one day of the week – Sunday.

Another important difference concerns the operation of taxis. In addition to the requirements for this group of vehicles, there is one more requirement in Moscow. So, to be considered a taxi, the car must be equipped with a license plate on a yellow background. If it is not there and the driver enters a section of the bus lane, he may be subject to a fine of 3,000 rubles.

When can taxi drivers use a dedicated lane?

The bus lane is also intended for the movement of passenger taxis (clause 18.2 of the traffic rules). However, this car must meet a number of requirements:

The vehicle must be painted yellow, and so-called “checkered” marks must be applied to the sides.
There should be a specialized counter in the cabin.
A special lantern must be installed on the roof.

Only if all of the above conditions are simultaneously met, the driver of the car receives the right to move in a dedicated lane for public transport. In addition, additional requirements apply for Moscow. Namely, the car has license plates on a yellow background.

Thus, private cab drivers who have not properly equipped their vehicles are not allowed to drive in the bus lane. In case of violation, they are assessed a fine from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles.

Driving in a dedicated lane on weekends

The common misconception that traffic in a dedicated lane is allowed on weekends is completely incorrect. However, if there is a sign 8.5.2, you can still drive onto it.

It should be remembered that traffic signs can only allow traffic on the bus section. But they cannot influence the markup in any way. Therefore, if the lane for route vehicles is separated by a solid line, you still cannot cross it. Otherwise the driver will be fined.

Typically, authorities allow travel on a dedicated lane on weekends. However, this permission often does not apply to the Sabbath. In this case, instead of sign 8.5.2, sign 8.5.3 is set.

There is another common situation. After all, weekends and holidays are often postponed. So, if Saturday is declared a working day, then entering the lane marked with sign 8.5.2 is prohibited.

Is it possible to travel on weekends?

Sometimes driving in a dedicated lane is actually allowed. So, you can move along it on weekends if there is a sign with two crossed hammers above the strip. It is found in two versions: the usual one with two hammers and the same hammers with time under them. The time in this case indicates when it is forbidden to stand in the bus zone.

If you drive a car in Moscow, you have probably seen such a sign. Perhaps they even secretly scolded those who brazenly drive in the traffic lane. Until now, not all motorists know how this sign works and what it means. Essentially, it prohibits traffic on the public transport lane on weekdays and allows it on weekends.

But even with this sign there are some nuances of moving along the line for route vehicles:

If there is a “no entry” sign above the area of route vehicles along with hammers, then you cannot change lanes there, even on weekends. This is due to the fact that the “brick” has priority over other signs. This feature also applies to the taxi category;
Sometimes workdays are officially moved to weekends due to holidays. This means that on such days the public transport lane is not available to you. In order not to get confused and not get fined, always check the official holiday calendar from the Russian government. Every year the number and dates of holidays change. This is a really serious problem for drivers. There are many days off in our country, but there are even more people who work outside the standard five-day week;
If you see the treasured hammers, do not rush to change lanes: first, take a look at the marking line separating you from the designated area. If it is solid, then by crossing it you will break the rule, although moving along the “marked road” is allowed. This is the paradox.

Also, permission to travel on the bus is shown by several more signs. A sign with the days of the week separated by a dash, for example “Monday–Friday”. Such a sign prescribes a ban on entry under it during the specified days. Its version contains the day of the week and time - “Tuesday 8.00-20.00”. This means that it is prohibited to drive under the sign at the specified time on the specified day.

In addition, signs numbered 8.5.1, 8.5.4 or 8.5.5 also indicate that driving on the transport line is prohibited. The first one indicates a ban on any day. The second and third are the ban on entry on weekends.

Please note that in these traffic rules there are no clauses allowing entry into a dedicated lane under “hammers”. This sign has no authorizing force from a legal point of view. However, you will not be given a fine in this situation, so feel free to avoid traffic jams on the weekend.

How do you know if you can drive in the bus lane today?

To understand which days are considered days off, you need to refer to the Labor Code. Here, namely in Article 112, it is stated that the following days are considered non-working days:

From January 1 to January 8 – New Year holidays.
January 7 – Christmas.
February 23 is Defender of the Fatherland Day.
March 8 is International Women's Day.
May 1 – Spring and Labor Festival.
May 9 – Victory Day.
June 12 – Russia Day.
November 4 is National Unity Day.

It should be noted that every year there are two days off during the New Year holidays. They are transferred to other dates. Therefore, a Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation is issued annually, which indicates the numbers considered non-working. For example, in 2021 it is May 2 and 3. And February 23, which fell on Saturday, was postponed to May 10. Thus, working days can become non-working days, and vice versa.

Public holiday dates vary from year to year. To avoid getting a fine, drivers are advised to find information about this in a timely manner.

Responsibility for driving in a dedicated lane

Severe penalties are applied to violators who enter the section of the roadway intended for route vehicles. The latter depends on the severity of the action committed, as well as whether it was committed for the first time.

Thus, according to Article 12.17 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, leaving, as well as stopping on a lane allocated for route vehicles, entails a fine of 1,500 rubles. In cities of federal significance (Moscow and St. Petersburg), a fine of 3,000 rubles will be imposed for a similar violation.

However, situations are more dangerous when the driver drives into the oncoming lane for route vehicles. According to Article 12.15 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, if the driver drove around an obstacle, he can be fined in the amount of 1,000 to 1,500 rubles. If this happened for other reasons, this amount increases to 5,000 rubles. In some cases, a motorist may be deprived of his driving license for a period of 4 to 6 months. And in a situation where such a violation occurs repeatedly, the driver is deprived of his license for a year (if the passage was recorded by an automatic system, the motorist can get off with a fine of 5,000 rubles).

If the driver entered a lane separated by a solid line, he may receive an additional fine for violating the markings (Article 12.15 of the Administrative Code). Currently it is 1000 rubles.

Amount of fine for a public transport lane

A violation when entering a bus lane can be recorded by an inspector or a camera. Traffic police officers issue a fine on the spot. If the violation was recorded by a camera, the decision will be sent by mail.

For driving in the lane for fixed-route vehicles or stopping in the specified lane, you face a fine of 1,500 rubles.

If such a violation is committed in Moscow or St. Petersburg, the fine will be 3,000 rubles (Article 12.17 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

When entering a bus lane along which vehicles are moving in the opposite direction, in accordance with clause 4 of Art. 12.15 of the Administrative Code, faces a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of the right to drive for 4 to 6 months.

If you drive into the oncoming lane again, your license will be revoked for 12 months. However, if the violation is recorded by a camera, you will get off with a fine of 5,000 rubles.

If you stop at a designated lot and leave your car, it may end up in an impound lot.

The fine for “bus lane” will not be canceled even if:

you went around the traffic jam,
let another car pass,
We stood on the emergency lights in the bus lane instead of our own.

You can avoid a fine or appeal it only in two cases:

Departure to a “dedicated area” due to extreme necessity (Article 2.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). For example, you drove into the bus lane to avoid an accident when a car flew towards you from around a turn.
You were driving in the bus lane at the time allowed for regular drivers.

Is there a discount for driving in a dedicated lane?

Starting in 2021, the state allows drivers to pay fines with a 50% discount. However, this requires fulfilling a number of conditions.

First of all, you should make sure that the offense is not included in the list of exceptions of Article 32.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, paragraph 1.3 (there is no entry into the bus lane here). In addition, the motorist must pay the fine within 20 days from the date the resolution comes into force (Article 32.2 of the Administrative Code).

Thus, the driver can actually get a discount on the fine for driving in the bus lane. That is, he will have to pay 1,500 rubles in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as 750 rubles in other regions of the country. Detailed information can be found directly in the resolution (the date until which the discount is valid will also be noted here). Payment can be made through the official website of the traffic police.

The nuances of a fine for driving in a bus lane

It's important to understand

that driving in a bus lane and entering it while crossing a solid line are two different violations.

For example, if a driver entered a bus lane in an authorized place (where there were intermittent markings) and did not leave it on time, he will receive a fine of 1,500 rubles (in St. Petersburg and Moscow - 3,000 rubles).

If, when entering a bus lane, he crossed a solid marking line, he may be additionally fined 500 rubles.

If the driver only crossed the marking line and, without completely entering the bus lane, immediately returned to his lane, then the amount of the fine may be limited to 500 rubles, since there was no actual movement along the bus lane.

Sometimes a sign 3.1 “No Entry” is hung above this lane, which automatically leads to tougher sanctions (you will also have to answer for failure to comply with the requirements of the road sign).

Appealing a fine for driving in a dedicated lane

If a driver is fined for driving onto a section of the roadway intended for public transport, he is unlikely to be able to appeal this decision. Although there are 3 cases when this is still possible:

The driver entered the lane due to an emergency, for example, avoiding a collision with an oncoming car.
The road was not equipped with signs and markings indicating a dedicated lane.
The driver received 2 fines for the same offense.

The procedure for appealing a traffic police fine for driving in a bus lane is the same as for other violations. In this case, it is enough to write the application correctly and send it.

The appeal instructions look something like this:

First of all, you need to make sure that the deadline for appeal has not yet expired. The motorist is given 10 days for it (Article 30.3 of the Administrative Code). If time has passed, it will not be possible to send an application. But you can challenge the deadlines (for example, if the driver did not receive a copy of the decision).
Next, you should decide on the motivation for the appeal (violation due to extreme necessity, lack of composition, etc.).
After this, it is enough to write an application (an example can be seen here) and send it to the department by mail (the address is indicated in the copy of the resolution). The appeal procedure is determined by Chapter 30 of the Administrative Code.

The traffic police has 10 days from the date of receipt to consider the complaint. If it is sent to court, the latter will consider the case for 2 months (Article 30.5 of the Administrative Code).

Fines for violations of regulations

If for some reason you drive into a bus lane or cross a solid marking, you will be fined for violating traffic rules. Of course, if you get caught by a security camera or traffic police officers.

Let's take a more specific look at the prices for fines for driving in a dedicated lane.

Departure to the public transport zone of passing traffic:

in Moscow – 3,000 rubles, regions – 1,500 rubles.

Entering the oncoming road for minibuses:

5,000 rubles or withdrawal of driving license for up to 0.5 years, relapse – deprivation of a driver’s license for up to 1 year or 5,000 rubles.

At the same time, you can pay the fine with a 50% discount according to the 2021 resolution. This can be done if you pay the debt within the first 20 days after the fine was received.

In large cities, travel on bus lines is more often recorded using cameras. Thus, for traveling on a dedicated line on one street, several fines may be issued at once, recorded in different places. At the same time, there is no way to challenge them if everything is marked according to the law.

In other cases, if you do not agree with the fine, feel free to challenge the punishment. Often workers make incorrect markings and the public transport lane is located incorrectly. At the same time, it is literally impossible to drive through the area without breaking the rule. There are many examples where the authorities actually made mistakes when marking separate transport zones.

Important nuances

The issue of a lane allocated for public transport has several important nuances. Here are the main points that car enthusiasts should pay attention to:

Often, instead of a bus lane sign, authorities put up a “No Entry” sign (it allows the movement of route vehicles). The fine for violation in this case varies from 500 to 5000 rubles (sometimes deprivation of rights is possible). However, in the case of a dedicated lane, a motorist can receive a fine from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles, depending on the region (Article 12.16 of the Administrative Code).
Quite often, violations are recorded by automatic systems. This does not affect the punishment in any way (although the driver will definitely not lose his license). However, if there were several devices in a row on one section of the road, each of them can record a violation (there will also be several fines, accordingly).
The penalty for driving in a bus lane increases significantly if it is in the opposite direction. In extreme cases, the driver may be deprived of his license.
Sometimes the ban on driving in a dedicated lane applies only to certain days. In this case, a corresponding sign will be installed on the road. However, the presence of such designations does not affect the markings in any way. That is, on certain days, a motorist can move along the bus lane, but he cannot cross a solid line to do this (otherwise the driver may be fined 1,000 rubles in accordance with Article 12.15 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).
If it is necessary to turn right or drop off passengers, the motorist can enter the dedicated lane. However, this can only be done if the lane is separated by a broken marking line.
It must be remembered that entering a bus lane and crossing a solid marking line are two completely different offenses. Thus, the driver can be fined twice: 1,500 and 1,000 rubles, respectively.
It is recommended to pay fines immediately after receiving a copy of the decision. This will reduce the amount by 2 times. To receive a discount, the motorist must transfer funds no later than 20 days.
If there are sufficient grounds, the driver can appeal the punishment.

These were the main features and nuances of driving along a dedicated bus lane. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the legislation. The main thing is to follow the traffic rules and pay fines on time (although it’s better not to let them appear).