U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with Amtrak officials, transit officials, and front-line transit and rail workers at Union Station Friday to discuss the Biden administration’s public transportation support.
Buttigieg re-iterated the importance of federal mask-wearing requirements for public transportation employees and users as a way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, as well as Biden’s support for additional relief funding for public transportation.
“We depend on many essential workers for our economy and for our way of life. And while many Americans are wrestling with the complexities of working from home, many other Americans don’t have the opportunity, or the option, to work from home, and they are supported by these extraordinary workers who look after the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of American travel,” Buttigieg said. “Above all, I want to say thank you to all of the workers and leadership who have facilitated essential trips, and have delivered essential goods and services during the pandemic, and for their dedication to the safety and prosperity of this country and the traveling public.”
President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 21 promoting safety during the COVID-19 public health emergency in domestic and international travel. On Jan. 29, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order requiring masks to be worn by employees and passengers across the nation’s transit networks. And on Jan. 31, the TSA issued a security directive implementing the order, stating that it also applies to passenger railroads, intercity bus services, and public transportation.
Additionally, the American Rescue Plan, Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus plan, would support the nation’s transportation system by helping agencies from having to lay off transit workers and cut routes that essential workers rely on while ensuring those same transportation systems are more resilient and accessible to Americans.