MTA Drops Mask Requirements For Outdoor Platforms and Bus Stops

NEW YORK CITY — Masks are no longer required on outdoor Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Staten Island Railway stations and bus stops, according to a Wednesday MTA news release. For now, masks are still required inside trains, buses, commuter rails, paratransit and within indoor stations.

The MTA continues to recommend the wearing of masks in these outdoor areas by people who are not fully vaccinated.

“New York has made remarkable progress fighting back against COVID-19, but the pandemic is still here and for riders to best protect themselves and their fellow riders, masks remain required,” said MTA chief safety officer Patrick Warren.

Mask usage continues to exceed 90 percent in the MTA system, officials said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that state-mandated restrictions were being lifted after the state reached its goal of a 70 percent single-dose vaccination rate in New Yorkers age 18 or older. Still, there are certain restrictions, such as wearing masks on trains, that follow New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mask guidelines.