Centro will remind riders to wear masks per governor’s order, but won’t refuse those who don’t

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Friday night at 8 p.m., an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo goes into effect, requiring everyone over the age of two to wear a mask or face covering over their nose and mouth when in public and unable to maintain six feet of social distance.

The order is especially targeted at those who use public transportation like buses, trains, and the subway.

Centro — the public transportation provider for Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Oswego counties — says it will “strongly urge” all riders of its buses to don the facial coverings, but it will not stop those who don’t from boarding.

“We will remind each rider who approaches a bus without a mask of the executive order and the importance of a wearing a mask in an attempt to achieve compliance,” Steven J. Koegel, VP of communications and business planning, tells CNYBJ. “However, in accordance with federal regulations, Centro cannot deny access to its public bus service.”

Centro’s bus drivers are already wearing face masks. The governor earlier this week required employers to provide masks for all essential workers that come into contact with the public.

Centro has had seven employees test positive for the coronavirus thus far, according to Koegel. Four are bus drivers, while the other three are non-public facing employees.