Jose Rivera has been an RTS bus driver for 13 years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, he said he always wears a mask while on the job.
But commuters don't always do the same, he said.
“There are some days that I worry that I’m going to get sick,” said Rivera, who worked throughout the pandemic. “There's a lot of times where customers do pull their mask off once they're on the bus. We have to remind them constantly to keep it up over their face.”
Now that the delta variant is causing a surge in cases, Rivera may have to keep reminding his passengers for a few months longer.
In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed Tuesday that it will extend the face-mask rule on public transportation until Jan. 18. The mandate was set to expire on Sept. 13.
Across the country, the rule has resulted in many scuffles between passengers and flight attendants who enforce it. The Federal Aviation Administration said airlines have reported 3,889 incidents involving unruly passengers this year, and 2,867 — or 74% — involved refusing to wear a mask.
Rivera said on his bus, it’s simple:
“It's either put the mask on or we'd have to call someone to have you removed,” he said.
Regular RTS bus rider Jeff Washington said he gets mad when he sees passengers who don’t follow the mask rules.
“I figured if everyone is doing their part, we can help stop the spread of the variant, but you got some people that do what they want to do,” Washington said.
Both Washington and Rivera agree that the federal mask extension on public transport is the proper step toward getting things back under control.
Washington had a message for those people who don’t want to comply.
"Don't come to RTS," he said. "Walk to where you gotta go. Catch another ride. Try other transportation. Just do something else. Value our lives.
"I want to live a little longer," he added. "I'm a new granddad. I got things I want to do."
Includes reporting from The Associated Press.
