Update as of June 10, 2021
The CDC Face Mask Order was amended to no longer require people to wear a mask in outdoor areas of conveyances (if such outdoor areas exist on the conveyance) or while outdoors at transportation hubs.  Riders are no longer required to wear a mask while waiting outdoors at bus stops.  Riders are still required to wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose while riding on a CAMBUS vehicle.

CAMBUS face mask policy in response to 2021 federal order

A mask requirement has been issued for public conveyances, including public transportation, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that agencies under the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) must implement a mask mandate. Effective immediately, all CAMBUS riders must wear a face mask that covers both the nose and mouth of the wearer. Persons must wear a face mask while waiting for a bus at a bus stop, and while riding, boarding, and disembarking a CAMBUS.

Federal Policy

Federal law requires that all individuals must wear a face mask while on a CAMBUS vehicle for the duration of travel, including boarding and disembarking. Riders must also wear a face mask when waiting for a bus at a bus stop. Refusing to wear a mask is in violation of federal law; passengers may be subject to penalties under federal law.

Mask means a material covering the nose and mouth of the wearer, excluding face shields. Face coverings such as bandanas and neck gaiters are not considered a face mask.

Noncompliance of policy on CAMBUS services

Under federal law, CAMBUS is required to make best efforts to ensure compliance with the order. This may include:

  • Providing a mask for individuals that do not have one. Masks are available in dispensers at these locations: Parking Lot 65, Finkbine Commuter; Parking Lot 75, Arena; and Parking Lot 55, Hancher. Masks are also available upon request to the driver on all CAMBUS vehicles.
  • Denying boarding to an individual not wearing a face mask.
  • Disembarking an individual not wearing a face mask as soon as practical.
  • Removing an individual not wearing a face mask from the WCTC.

The FTA recognizes circumstances in which removal of an individual for noncompliance presents a greater safety risk than the safety risk of noncompliance with the mask mandate. CAMBUS will use best efforts and judgment to determine when it is appropriate to deny boarding or remove a person from a CAMBUS vehicle for noncompliance.

Exceptions to CAMBUS face mask policy

The requirement to wear a mask does not apply under the following circumstances:

  • When necessary to temporarily remove the mask for identity verification purposes.
  • While communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
  • If unconscious (for reasons other than sleeping), incapacitated, unable to be awakened, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

Additionally, the security directive exempts the following categories of persons from wearing masks:

  • Children under the age of 2.
  • People with disabilities who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, because of the disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • People for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations.
Since late spring, CAMBUS has required riders to wear a face covering and rarely do riders not comply with this requirement. Under the new federal law, refusing to wear a mask is a violation of federal law and may result in denial of boarding, removal, or penalties under the federal law. CAMBUS is required to make best efforts to ensure compliance with the order.