HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – Masks are now optional on some public transit services in Connecticut, the state Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.
Officials say the mask mandate on CT Transit, Hartford Line, and Shore Line East has been lifted.
The decision comes after a federal judge in Florida voided the mask mandate for public travel earlier this week.
Rail services on the New Haven Line follow orders from New York state because it is operated by Metro-North.
“For the last two years, our transit operators have provided masks to the public and enforced mask mandates on public transit. Now that the federal mask mandate for public transit is no longer in effect, masking will no longer be enforced, but is still strongly encouraged per current CDC guidelines,” said Connecticut DOT Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto.
Heath officials across the state are concerned about this decision because the state’s positivity rate has been rising all week. Buses are also seeing an influx of passengers due to Governor Lamont’s free fare initiative.
“There’s growing ridership in the bus service,” says Doug Holcomb the general manager at Greater Bridgeport Transit.
“We’re back to around 80% pre-pandemic levels,” says Holcomb.
Holcomb says after the abrupt end to the mask mandate, Greater Bridgeport Transit will still encourage mask wearing.
“We’re hoping people will continue for at least the next several weeks. It’s fairly close quarters if you’re in a bus or train. You’re close to people. Maintaining social distance is very difficult,” says Holcomb.
On Monday the mask mandate for public transportation was voided by a federal judge in Florida. On Wednesday night, the justice department filed an appeal to overturn that decision.
“One of the reasons it appears that the justice department is moving forward is you don’t want to strip the centers of disease control of what they’re supposed to do, and they’re supposed to protect the public health,” says Angela Mattie a professor from Quinnipiac University.
“While we wait for the appeal, the voided mask mandate ruling from the federal judge in Florida still exists,” says Mattie.
The CDC’s national mask mandate for public transportation was set to end on May 3.
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