CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) announced that in accordance with federal guidelines, masks will continue to be required on city buses and trains through Jan. 18, 2022. The mask protocols are in place in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to buses and trains, masks will be required while waiting inside bus shelters and when entering any RTA transit center, train station or the RTA main office building. Masks will not be required outside at bus stops.

Federal regulations say that those who do not follow the guidelines will be required to disembark. The regulations state that those under the age of 2, those with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, because of the disability and those who wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty are exempt. 

The update in federal guidance also means that those boarding aircrafts, Amtrak and other forms of mass transit will continue to be required to wear a mask into 2022.