“Our officers have surged into major hubs to remind riders to wear their mask, and have handed out 25,000 free masks in just two weeks,” said Joseph McGrann, Acting Chief of the MTA Police Department. This next phase of our blitz will reinforce that wearing a mask is not optional. Vaccinated or not, you must wear a mask when traveling on public transit.” These efforts have seen mask usage recently rise on buses and trains. “To support the use of masks we have provided tens of millions of free masks to customers, complemented by a robust communication endeavor. “Promoting mask usage is an important component to protecting one another,” said Patrick Warren, MTA Chief Safety Officer. This has included the distribution of more than 50,000 free masks overall, 25,000 in the two weeks since the blitz began on September 7.
The goal of heightened enforcement is to increase mask usage across all agencies, and to return to 2020 and early 2021 compliance levels where nearly 100% of riders wore masks onboard subways, buses, commuter railroads and paratransit vehicles. Since the $50 fine was implemented on September 14, 2020, MTA police officers have had over 88,000 positive encounters with customers. This continues an approach established in September 2020, when the MTA implemented a $50 fine to help increase mask compliance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mask-wearing is a federal requirement on trains, buses and paratransit vehicles.įollowing Labor Day, the MTA began on a blitz of mask distribution, with MTA staff and police officers strategically stationed at subway and railroad hubs, and bus terminals, distributing tens of thousands of free masks to unmasked riders. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is advising customers that beginning Thursday, September 23, MTA officers will be stepping up mask enforcement throughout the system and those who do not comply with mask requirements will be more likely to face a $50 fine. When asked what he does when he encounters infractions, Adams said he says something.Customers Refusing to Wear Masks Are Subject to Receive a Summons Authority Ramped Up Mask Education and Distribution Efforts Immediately Following Labor Day as More Riders Returned to School and Offices 25,000 Free Masks Handed Out During Phase One of “Mask Blitz” During Last Two Weeks See Video From Today’s News Conference See Photos From Today’s News Conference “I know signs are being removed, but there are still announcements in the system,” Mayor Eric Adams said Friday. Digital displays promoting mask-wearing will continue to be shown at some stations, and audio announcements will also be made. However, the MTA has removed paper signs and posters promoting mask use. The others are the PATH train and Milwaukee. The MTA is one of only three transit systems that require masks. “Masks are still required on public transit, per a New York State Department of Health decision that has no expiration date,” an MTA spokesman told NBC New York. Although cases are less serious, the rising number of cases is alarming – although fewer people appear to be wearing masks to protect themselves and others.Īnyone who has ridden the bus or subway in recent times has surely noticed that the number of people wearing masks has decreased and is almost fewer than those who still wear them – although it is still required. COVID cases are rising in New York City and across the country, fueled by the omicron BA.5 subvariant.
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