Wearing of face masks now a must on Metro Vancouver transit

Many of our vehicle signs have now been switched over – with masks mandatory 😷 on board all of our transit vehicles 🚎🚊🛳 starting from tomorrow pic.twitter.com/WegRNmXCdO

— Ben Murphy (@BenBMurph) August 23, 2020

Commuters in Metro Vancouver should not forget to wear face masks when they take public transit.

This, after TransLink started implementing on Monday, August 24, its mandatory mask policy which they announced earlier this month.

“It’s no longer an ask, you must wear a mask.

We are expecting customers to wear a mask on board all transit vehicles. That includes bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, Handy Dart.

Any transit vehicle, people must be wearing a mask when they are on board,” TransLink Spokesperson Ben Murphy said.

The Twitter account of News from TransLink shared photos showing the mandatory face mask signages it installed at their stations. These can be seen at the fare gates, stairs, entrances to transit vehicles, and passenger information displays.

Customers will notice there’s been a few signage changes at our stations over the weekend, with masks 😷 mandatory on all transit vehicles starting from tomorrow pic.twitter.com/LTfNKfRXk2

— News from TransLink (@TransLinkNews) August 24, 2020

TransLink is also handing out free masks to the passengers just in case they forgot to bring one. Twenty thousand face masks will be given away by TransLink in the coming weeks.

We’re giving away masks at Waterfront Station!

Look for us at the Waterfront entrance to the West Coast Express/SeaBus and also at the Canada Line entrance. pic.twitter.com/pESZ0vZBSa

— News from TransLink (@TransLinkNews) August 24, 2020

Murphy said those who will not follow the mandatory wearing of face masks could eventually get a $150 fine, but right now, he said their focus is “on education rather than enforcement.”

In its news release last August 6, TransLink said individuals who are exempted from the new policy include those who cannot wear masks due to their underlying medical condition or disability and children under five years of age.

“Physical distancing is not always going to be possible on transit, particularly once more riders return to the system,” TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond earlier said.

“Customer confidence is key to rebuilding ridership in the context of this pandemic and we believe this step is important to bring many of our riders back.

We’ve listened to transit users who want to see face coverings made mandatory on transit vehicles,” he added.