![]() ![]() This has included the distribution of more than 50,000 free masks overall, 25,000 in the two weeks since the blitz began on Sept. 14, 2020, MTA police officers have had over 88,000 “positive encounters” with customers. ![]() Since the $50 fine was implemented on Sept. ![]() The goal of heightened enforcement, according to the MTA, is to increase mask usage across all agencies, and to return to 2020 and early 2021 compliance levels where nearly 100 percent of riders wore masks onboard subways, buses, commuter railroads and paratransit vehicles. This continues an approach established last September, 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, MTA officials noted.įollowing Labor Day, the MTA began on a blitz of mask distribution, with 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 has been 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. “The message is clear: Wear a mask,” MTA Police Chief McGrann said. Hopefully, the trend here will turn around soon, more of us will feel confident taking off our own masks as well and local rules will reflect that development.MTA Increases Mask Enforcement throughout System “With viral case counts unfortunately climbing, there’s a good reason for us to keep masking in our public transit system even as other regions and modes are taking a different route following the judge’s ruling. ![]() “Most New Yorkers are continuing to mask in transit as before,” said Riders Alliance policy and communications director Danny Harris. The straphanger advocacy group Riders Alliance is hoping that, as case counts rise, New Yorkers continue to mask at a high rate relative to the rest of the country. Though cases are reaching levels where the city Health Department recommends reinstating restrictions, Mayor Eric Adams - once again doing in-person events after coming out of COVID-19 isolation - would not commit to restoring any mandates. Signs denoting a mask requirement were still up during the morning rush even as overhead announcements by Amtrak declared masks optional, Gothamist reported.Ĭases have been on the rise in the five boroughs over the past several weeks owing to the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, though still at nowhere near the levels seen during this winter’s surge. Amtrak, which owns the subterranean train hub, and New Jersey Transit have lifted their mask mandates, but masks remain a requirement on the Long Island Rail Road and the subway. The conflicting guidelines coming from different levels and entities of government have caused something of a mess at Penn Station. “The Port Authority will continue to follow the guidance of the New York and New Jersey public health authorities with respect to mask mandates at its public transportation facilities,” a Port Authority spokesperson said. Masks remain a requirement on PATH trains. New Yorkers shouldn’t be so quick to shed their masks though the Port Authority said Tuesday that masks are still required at its New York facilities, including JFK and LaGuardia Airports, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station, and the Oculus. ![]()
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