Face coverings required for Metro Transit buses and trains, starting Monday
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Starting Monday, face coverings will be required to wear on all Metro Transit buses and light rail trains. Metro Transit officials say it is an effort to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 as well as follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Riders are encouraged to wear masks, bandanas, scarves or other cloth face coverings. However, if someone is not wearing a face covering, they will not be denied service and will not be removed from the bus or train, officials say.
The new requirement will be advertised online and at boarding locations. On-board announcements will also air to remind riders to wear a face covering.
Children under the age of 2, those who have trouble breathing and those who are unable to remove a face covering without assistance are exempt from the rule.
Bus operators are not required to wear a mask due to rear-door boarding and barriers behind the driver's area, which allow for social distancing. While Metro Transit is making face coverings available to staff, the agency does not have enough to provide to customers.