Agencies providing transit services to riders throughout the Puget Sound region announced Tuesday that face coverings will no longer be required on transit, at transit facilities or in transit hubs. The change is effective immediately, and includes the following agencies:

• Community Transit
• Everett Transit
• King County Metro
• Kitsap Transit
• Pierce Transit
• Seattle Department of Transportation (Seattle Streetcar)
• Seattle Center Monorail
• Sound Transit

The announcement comes after a federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit. Several airlines announced Monday they would no longer be requiring masks. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the passenger terminal at Everett’s Paine Field  and Washington State Ferries also said that they were dropping their masking requirements.

The federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Feb. 1, 2021 issued a mandate requiring face coverings. Prior to that requirement, Washington state and local health authorities had issued mandates for face coverings in public spaces. After the judge’s ruling Monday, the TSA said it would no longer be enforcing the mandate.

While masks are no longer required on transit, riders are welcome to continue wearing face coverings if they wish, the participating agencies said in a joint announcement. It will take time to update all of the announcements, signs and other communications related to the federal mask mandate, the agencies said.