MWRTA Will Be Mask Optional After Federal Judge's Ruling

MARLBOROUGH, MA — One of the last remaining mask mandates in the region went away Tuesday after the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority said masking would be optional on all buses.

MWRTA's announcement came less than a day after Florida U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down a federal mask mandate that covered all forms of transportation, from subways and buses to airplanes.

"Effective April 19, 2022, mask wearing on all MWRTA vehicles is optional," the agency tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

The Worcester Regional Transit Authority also switched to a mask-optional policy, and the MBTA, which operates commuter rail trains in the area, did the same.

"[I]f people feel more comfortable wearing a facemask, then by all means continue to do so. The MBTA remains committed to safety and will continue adhering to all CDC and Massachusetts’ public health guidance. The T is continuing to clean vehicles and stations regularly and upgrade air filtration systems," General Manager Steve Poftak said in a news release Tuesday.

Mizelle's ruling also impacted air travel. Both Worcester Airport and Logan Airport switched to a mask optional policy effective Monday.

COVID-19 cases were surging in New England in early 2022, but subsided in early March, which is also when many cities and towns ended mask mandates. The statewide positive test rate was just under 4 percent before the Easter weekend — up from about 1.6 percent in mid-March.

MWRTA, based in Framingham, operates transit routes in 16 communities across the region, including Marlborough, Ashland, Southborough, Hopkinton, Milford, Sudbury and Wayland.