N.Y. MTA finds 92% of ridership using masks, urges 100% compliance

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced officials at New York City Transit surveyed mask usage and found that approximately 92% of subway riders are complying with the MTA’s requirement that all customers and employees wear a face covering on public transit.

Between Thursday, May 28 and Thursday, June 4, MTA personnel visited 23 different stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx that were found to have relatively high ridership. Out of the 47,599 riders that were counted, 43,709 were wearing masks. Public health experts say to have useful impact compliance needs to be at least 70% and they recommend for essential protection it be above 95%. Research has found that wearing a face covering can reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission significantly.

“I want to thank the 92% of our riders who are wearing masks while riding public transit, said New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg. “The goal is to see 100% of our customers wearing face coverings. It is the single most important thing that riders can do to protect themselves, their follow commuters and our employees.”

Beginning on Monday when New York City begins Phase 1 reopening, the MTA will distribute two million masks that were contributed by the State and the City. In the coming days, MTA personnel and volunteers will be out in the system, offering riders a mask if they have not brought one. Masks are also for sale at retail locations at surrounding subway and bus stations and stops.