Skip to content
The COVID Project
  1. Library
  2. State transport, ports and transit authorities
  3. AGY-ST-TRANSPORT-PORTS-TRANSIT-090

Ex. AGY-ST-TRANSPORT-PORTS-TRANSIT-090 Context (guidance or announcement) Primary source read

MTA press release, June 16, 2021: masks remain required onboard subways, buses, commuter rails, paratransit and within indoor stations after the Governor lifted State restrictions on June 15, 2021; not required on outdoor platforms and bus stops under updated CDC guidance; 'changes in restrictions for the remainder of New York State will follow federal health guidance on transit requirements'

MTA Reminds Customers to Wear a Mask While Riding Trains and Buses - Masks Still Required Onboard Subways, Buses, Commuter Rails and Paratransit Except on Outdoor Train Platforms and Bus Stops

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); Chief Safety Officer Patrick Warren · New York (MTA subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, Staten Island Railway, paratransit) (State)

Open exhibit (PDF, 166 KB)
The COVID Project
Context, not an order

This record is guidance or an announcement kept for context. It is not counted among the orders in force.

The record

Jurisdiction
New York (MTA subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, Staten Island Railway, paratransit) · New York
Level
State
Authority
New York State Department of Health and CDC requirements (recited: 'The guidance is consistent with New York State Department of Health and the CDC's guidelines that require masks in certain settings including public transit')
Issued
2021-06-16 June 16, 2021
Effective
2021-06-16 (continuing requirement; outdoor platforms and stops relieved) (read as 2021-06-16)
End
New York's own transit mask directive was rescinded June 25, 2021 (per the New York State file); the federal CDC order and TSA directives continued past Sept. 30, 2021 (vacated Apr. 18, 2022) (read as 2021-09-30)
In force
June 16, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2021
Quarters
2021 Q22021 Q3
Limitation types
Face-covering requirementTravel and quarantine
Addressees
  • all MTA riders (onboard and in indoor stations)
Functions reached
  • WF commuting workforce (mask condition on every MTA ride continuing into Q3 2021 after New York lifted its general restrictions)
  • TV travel (LIRR and Metro-North commuters)
  • CB customer access
Character
context
Collection
State transport, ports and transit authorities AGY-ST-TRANSPORT-PORTS-TRANSIT

Operative words

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is reminding customers that masks remain required onboard subways, buses, commuter rails, paratransit and within indoor stations. The guidance is consistent with New York State Department of Health and the CDC's guidelines that require masks in certain settings including public transit. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday that state-mandated restrictions were being lifted as 70% of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series, but that changes in restrictions for the remainder of New York State will follow federal health guidance on transit requirements. Under updated CDC guidance masks are no longer required on outdoor NYC Transit platforms... Once a customer boards a train, bus or paratransit vehicle, masks are required.

Enforcement

MTA rules of conduct ($50 fine, Ex. 091); federal TSA civil penalties and CDC refusal-of-boarding rule

Notes

Q2-Q3 2021 instrument: the MTA's own statement, the day after New York's general restrictions ended, that the transit mask requirement continued under federal requirements. Implementing rule under State and federal orders.

Retrieval note

Rendered Wayback capture (June 16, 2021) of new.mta.info/press-release/mta-... (banner URL truncated); release 'Updated June 16, 2021 3:30 p.m.'.

A record of The COVID Project. The instrument's text is the source's; the summary fields are The COVID Project's reading of it. Not legal advice.