Fines will be distributed for people who refuse to wear masks on buses and trains run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the agency stated Thursday.
What We Know:
- Interim President of NYC Transit Authority Sarah Feingberg and MTA Chairman Pat Foye announced that starting Monday, September 14th, MTA police or the NYPD will be handing out $50 fines for anyone who refuses to wear masks.
- Although Feinberg clarified that the fines are not for riders who wear masks incorrectly, it targets the “small number” of people who will not wear a mask even if police officers and the MTA provide free face masks.
- Feingberg also stated that fines are a “last resort” for individuals who do not want to obey such order and will be implemented by the NYPD and MTA police instead of the MTA workers since they “have a lot of responsibility as is”.
- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo stated the objective is to assure people it’s safe to ride buses, light-rails, subways, and trains with the COVID-19 preventive method.
- When officers encounter an individual on a subway station, bus, or train without a mask, officers will notify the person to wear one. If they don’t have a mask or forgot it, they will be guided to a subway booth, or if an MTA or NYPD officer has masks available, they will offer it to the individual. If the perso remains non-compliant, then the fine will be issued.
- MTA CEO and Chairman Pat Foye said the governor’s past executive order mandated masks on public transportation are required. He continued to say that mask use has remained high, with 96 percent masks used on buses, 90 percent masks used on subways, and 90 percent on trains and Long Island Rail Road.
- According to Foye, more than 4 million masks have been distributed to public transportations users so far.
The Transport Workers Union stated this is a massive win for the union. Governor Cuomo complimented the MTA’s work during this pandemic in maintaining buses and trains sanitized.
