COLUMBUS, Ind. — ColumBUS Transit is no longer requiring passengers to wear masks on Columbus city buses in light of Monday’s federal ruling in which a judge overturned the Transportation Security Administration’s mask mandate for public transit.
“We are waiting to hear some more information and the final decision before we make any final moves,” said ColumBUS transit officials. The department is requiring drivers to continue masking until further notice. For riders, masking is “suggested,” but not required.
In a 59-page lawsuit ruling, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa said Monday that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overstepped its authority in issuing the original health order on which the TSA directive was based. She also said the order was fatally flawed because the CDC didn’t follow proper rulemaking procedures.
Mizelle, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, said the only remedy was to throw out the mandate for the entire country because it would be impossible to end it only for the people who objected in the lawsuit.
The White House said the mask order “is not in effect at this time” and called the court decision disappointing.
The Justice Department declined to comment on whether it would seek an emergency stay to block the judge’s order. The CDC also declined to comment.
On Monday, the TSA announced that due to a recent court ruling, it would no longer enforce mask mandates for public transportation and transportation hubs. However, the agency added that the CDC still recommends wearing masks in “indoor public transportation settings” at this time.
The lawsuit ruling gave various government and transportation entities the option to keep mask rules in place if they so chose. Responses by these entities has varied.
For instance, Delta Air Lines and a number of its competitors have removed mask requirements for domestic and some international flights. Los Angeles International Airport is not requiring masks but still recommends masking voluntarily. New York City’s public transit system is planning to keep its mandate.
