Ride On passengers are no longer required to wear masks on the bus, though the county officials are strongly recommending passengers voluntarily wear them.
A recent federal judge ruling that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mask mandate was unconstitutional. That decision led to the Transportation Security Administration deciding to suspend enforcement of the mandate on all public transportation.
“We think this is a bad decision by a Trump judge, who has no expertise in public health, to overrule our nation’s public health experts,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a press release. “As we join the region and comply with this legal decision, we are going to continue to monitor our transmission rates and legal options regarding masking. We highly encourage all residents to wear masks on our buses, as well as in crowded indoor areas. And, as we currently see our COVID rates increase, it is imperative that everyone stays up to date on their vaccinations.”
The county decision provides passengers consistency with Metro and other regional transportations systems policies.
Bus operators will no longer be required to wear masks, and will continue to provide masks for passengers who want them.
Ride On remains free to use until at least July 2.
“2008 06 03 – 2228 – Rockville – Ride On Bus on Research Blvd” by thisisbossi is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0