While many airlines have made masking optional after a federal judge struck down the Biden administration's federal mask mandate Monday, many travelers will likely still need to wear masks during certain parts of their trip, including going to and from the airport.
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission said Tuesday that masks are still required in all taxis and for-hire vehicles, while the communications director for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) told Newsweek in a statement on Monday that masks would still be required on the MTA.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also issued a statement Tuesday specifying that the mask mandate remained in effect at several New York sites including LaGuardia Airport, JFK International Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, George Washington Bridge Bus Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. In New Jersey, the mandate was lifted for Newark Liberty International Airport and Teterboro Airport, but the mandate remained in place for the interstate PATH system.
The Trump-appointed judge's ruling allowed many travelers to forgo masks for the first time in more than a year, but the subsequent announcements from several transportation authorities show that mask requirements still have yet to be completely eliminated from all forms of public transportation. This means that many travelers who are free to go without masks on planes may not see the same freedom when using taxis, trains, subways and buses.
The trend is not just limited to New York and New Jersey. Transportation authorities in cities including Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston have opted to keep their public transportation mask mandates at least partially in effect.
In the Boston region, for example, mandates were kept in place by the transit authority that runs buses and subways and the Steamship Authority that operates ferries to and from Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, according to The New York Times. In Chicago, officials from the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Chicago Department of Aviation have also announced ongoing mask requirements, WLS-TV reported.
Not all potential means of arriving at the airport, or at other destinations, will require travelers to wear face masks. Uber and Lyft have both announced that masks will no longer be required for drivers or passengers.
"Remember: Many people still feel safer wearing a mask because of personal or family health situations, so please be respectful of their preferences. And if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can always cancel the trip," Uber said in a statement.
In a similar message on Tuesday, Lyft said that masks would now be optional for anyone in the vehicle.
"We know that everyone has different comfort levels, and anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask is encouraged to do so. As always, we expect everyone in the car to follow our Community Guidelines and treat each other with respect," the company said in a blog post.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends masking on public transportation, but it noted at the top of its information page that its order requiring masks was no longer in effect.
"Therefore, CDC will not enforce the order," the agency said.
Newsweek reached out to the CDC for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Zoe Strozewski is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and global politics. Zoe ... Read more
