Transit agencies launch campaign asking riders to wear masks, ride responsibly

May 11, 2021

The RTA, CTA, Metra, and Pace have launched a joint advertising campaign reminding transit riders to continue to ride responsibly and wear a mask.

In a recent survey of current and lapsed riders conducted by the RTA, more than half of current riders said they are satisfied with the safety precautions being taken by the three Service Boards (CTA, Metra, and Pace) during the pandemic. The satisfaction current riders have with the system is a testament to the culture of COVID prevention created by the transit agencies to protect the health of riders and staff alike. The Service Boards’ agile response has included upgrading air filtration, sanitizing buses and trains daily, as well as requiring passengers and staff to wear masks.

“Each agency has worked diligently over the last 15 months to keep riders safe and to keep vehicles clean. And will continue to adapt as needs change and riders return,” said Leanne Redden, RTA Executive Director. “Each of us needs to do our part by continuing to wear our masks.”

In January, the federal government issued a nationwide mandate that all passengers and operators always wear masks on all public transportation vehicles and within stations. Last week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extended that mandate to September 13, 2021. Even though growing numbers of riders and operators are being vaccinated, and the CDC has now provided guidelines that those who are vaccinated do not need to wear a mask in most circumstances, the mask mandate on public transit remains. Continuing to wear a mask while riding transit minimizes spread of COVID-19 and protects those who are not yet vaccinated, children who are not yet eligible for vaccination, and those who are severely immunocompromised.

The campaign shows riders of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and ride types safely wearing masks and riding transit. Look for these vibrant reminders to keep masking in English, Spanish, and Polish, in print starting Sunday, May 16 in the Chicago Sun Times, Daily Herald, Reflejos, Polish Daily News, Southside Weekly, Hyde Park Herald, Lake County Journal, and Suburban Life. The ads, four in all, will run through the summer.



Any organization or individual can help by spreading the word via an organizational newsletter or social media using this toolkit, which includes appropriately sized downloadable artwork. And of course, by continuing to wear a mask and ride responsibility when riding the CTA, Metra, and Pace.