AASHTO Journal - USDOT Kicks Off ‘Mask Up’ Campaign for Transportation Workers

The U.S. Department of Transportation is launching what it calls a “Mask Up” campaign to help ensure the safety of transportation workers. The centerpiece of the campaign is a digital toolkit including posters, social media, Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ documents, and other resources, the agency said.

[Above photo by the USDOT.]

“Throughout the pandemic, transportation workers have played a vital role connecting Americans to their jobs, keeping goods moving, and ensuring that vaccines get to where they’re needed,” explained Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in a statement.

USDOT Sec. Pete Buttigieg at right. Photo by USDOT.

“With this campaign, we’ll send a clear message to people who travel: When you wear a mask, you’re protecting the safety of our essential transportation workers, your fellow passengers, and yourself,” he said.

The campaign also seeks to educate travelers and transportation providers on their mask-wearing responsibilities, as wearing a mask on all forms of public transportation – including buses, trains, airplanes, and ferries, and while at all transportation hubs, helps protect essential workers – is a national requirement per a Centers for Disease Control order that became effective on February 2.

Photo by the Connecticut Lt. Governor’s Office.

Several state departments of transportation are already engaged in outreach campaigns to encourage compliance with mask mandates while using public transit systems.

For example, the Connecticut Department of Transportation launched such a mask-compliance campaign in late February featuring popular Connecticut team mascots.

“We have to continue to team up in combating COVID-19 because playing around with your health and the health of others is no game,” said Joseph Giulietti, Connecticut DOT’s commission, in a statement.

“The health and safety of our customers, drivers, conductors and staff is paramount to us. Our passengers have done a marvelous job of taking precautions while riding our buses and trains,” he added. “This campaign is just a reminder to not let our guard down as the vaccination effort has only just begun.”