BART OK's Requiring Riders To Wear Masks With 'Limited Exceptions'

SAN FRANCISCO — The BART Board of Directors on Thursday approved a temporary amendment to require riders to wear a mask in paid areas of the system.

BART, which carries about 170,000 passengers per week, said the measure comes with "limited exceptions."

"This requirement applies to trains and all portions of stations beyond fare gates," BART tweeted.

The rule is effective until July 18, though the board could extend the masking requirement. Free masks will be available at station agent booths and from safety staff.

Children up to 2 years old, as well as people with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing masks, are exempt from the mandate.

Violators who do not wear a mask could face citations of up to $75 and be ejected from paid areas.

The update comes after a Florida federal judge earlier this month tossed out a federal mask mandate for public transit systems and airlines. Like other Bay Area transit agencies, BART said its previous mask mandate was based on the TSA directive.

BART said it has prioritized rider safety throughout the pandemic. All its employees are fully vaccinated and it installed air filters that can help prevent the coronavirus from spreading on all train cars, both new and old.

"These filters are dense enough to trap the virus and provide an extra layer of protection to our riders," BART said. "Air is replaced every 70 seconds onboard cars mixing filtered air with fresh air. That means the circulation on BART train cars is better than most offices."