DDOT Encourages, But No Longer Requires, Masks On Board

DETROIT – Following a federal court ruling striking down the public transportation mask mandate, the Detroit Department of Transportation will encourage but no longer require the use of masks on buses, at shelters, or in buildings. 

DDOT continues to recommend that transportation riders, operators, and employees wear masks, especially in areas that do not allow social distancing. However, masks are no longer required in any circumstance regarding public transportation. The Detroit Health Department continues to strongly recommend the use of face masks in indoor public transportation settings. 

“As always, safety is our number one priority for both riders and operators of DDOT,” said C. Mikel Oglesby, Executive Director of Transit. “We encourage our riders and operators to make the best decisions regarding masking for their own health, safety and well-being.” 

DDOT will be updating its signage over the next few days to reflect the new policy. DDOT also encourages riders and operators to respect the decisions of others whether or not to wear a mask. 

DDOT made several changes to its operations at the onset of the pandemic to protect both operators and riders from the highly transmissible virus, including suspending fare, installing barriers between operators and riders, and limiting ridership on buses. 

“We greatly appreciate the hard work our operators, mechanics, and other employees have done to keep Detroit moving during this pandemic,” Oglesby said. “We will continue to do what we can to keep everyone on board, operators and riders alike, as safe as possible.”