The federal Transportation Security Administration announced Aug. 20 that it will continue its face mask requirement for travelers using all transportation networks through Jan. 18.

Face coverings are required for passengers and operators while on properties, buses, trains or paratransit vehicles operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Denton County Transportation Authority and Trinity Metro.

Passengers who refuse to wear a mask, unless exempted or excluded under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, will be in violation of federal law, and failure to comply will result in denial of boarding or removal, according to a DART news release. Those passengers may also be subject to federal penalties.

DART offers hand sanitizer on all its buses, light-rail vehicles and Dallas streetcars, while DCTA and Trinity Metro have installed dispensers in all vehicles and agency facilities.

This marks the second time TSA's mask requirement has been extended since it was issued Jan. 31.


More information about DART's safety precautions is available here. Additional information about DCTA's response to COVID-19 is available here. Information about Trinity Metro's response to the pandemic is available here.