MTA Posters Remind Passengers Of Face Covering Mandate

NEW YORK, NY — The Metropolitan Transit Authority is rolling out a massive public awareness campaign to remind public transit passengers to keep their faces covered while they use the system, transit officials said.

Thousands of signs instructing passengers to wear face masks or another type of covering such as a bandana or scarf were displayed throughout the MTA system Saturday, transit officials said. The signage will also be displayed digitally on more than 4,000 screens in the subway system, 2,600 screens in the bus system and hundreds of screens on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order requiring public transit passengers to cover their faces went into effect Friday at 8 p.m. Cuomo did not specify penalties for disobeying the mandate, but said that local governments will have the authority to enforce penalties for people who do not comply.

"You have to wear it," Cuomo said during his Wednesday coronavirus briefing. "Stopping the spread is essential — how can you not wear a mask?"

All MTA employees have been ordered to wear face coverings since the beginnings of the new coronavirus outbreak in New York City, transit officials said. The transit agency has been encouraging customers to wear masks or other coverings since early March.

"This executive order follows our efforts, leading the country, to keep our customers and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic," Patrick Warren, MTA Chief Safety Officer, said in a statement. "Wearing the face covering is critical to protecting public health and could ultimately save lives."

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