Masks are no longer required during New York City Uber rides and it appears other cities, including Washington D.C., are next.
After New York Governor Kathy Hochul dropped the statewide mask requirement on public transportation on Sept. 7, Uber updated its policy in New York City, making mask-wearing optional for riders and drivers on Sept. 8.
Some users in the area received emails from Uber about the update.
Like the already infamous “You do you” posters planned for the New York City subway, Uber is quick to point out that no one is meant to be actively discouraged from wearing a mask.
“While optional, riders and drivers are recommended to continue to wear masks, in line with CDC and TLC recommendations,” Uber communications manager Navideh Forghani told Mashable.
After the change, Uber’s user experience will actually be slightly different, Forghani said. “Beginning today, we will roll back the in-app, pre-trip checklist and start communicating the changes to riders and drivers.”
New York won’t be alone. Users in Washington D.C., a municipality that dropped its mask requirement for public transportation in April, will receive the same treatment, according to Forghani, who confirmed to Mashable that the company would be “doing the same” in the District.
New York’s change in its mask policy on public transportation was met with criticism yesterday, with New York’s Center for Independence of the Disabled tweeting that it “disagrees and is disheartened with the decision to no longer require masks.”
“We encourage all users to respect each other’s choices around masking,” Forghani said.
