Transit System Reinstates Mask Requirement

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is re-upping its mask requirement for bus passengers after dropping it just two weeks ago.

In a statement, the transit system said the requirement was reinstated in response to the county’s “community risk level” being upgraded to medium by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This risk level is determined by the number of new cases, hospital admissions and healthcare capacity.

” Milwaukee County and MCTS will continue to provide guidance as COVID-19 rates remain fluid,” the transit system said in a statement.

The transit system is asking residents not to ride the bus if they are sick and to follow CDC guidelines “including washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and leave plenty of space between yourself and others.”

When the mask requirement was dropped in late September, the system said it would continue to encourage mask wearing. Though, in the weeks leading up to the transit system ending the requirement enforcement of the rule was virtually nonexistent on county buses.

Mask requirements on buses were dropped at the same time in September as mask requirements at county public facilities, including the courthouse, were dropped. County Executive David Crowley explained at the time that the county was taking a “a stepwise approach informed by data, national guidelines, and an equity focus.” He added, that “if needed, we now have tools in place to be agile and adjust our response to COVID-19 to protect and serve our colleagues and our community.”

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and airlines ended their mask requirements in April following a federal court ruling that found the federal governments mask mandates applied to transportation infrastructure receiving federal funding was unlawful.

The City of Milwaukee instituted two mask mandates that applied to all public spaces, including private businesses. The latest expired in March, and since that time the city has opted to strongly encourage masking when it was at medium or high community risk for COVID-19.

Update: Masking Requirement Reinstated At Courthouse

Following the CDC’s new risk assessment for Milwaukee County, the county executive has reinstated the mask requirement at the courthouse complex for all visitors, employees, volunteers and contractors.