All commuters using Metro rail, Metro bus, or Alexandria's DASH bus service must wear a mask or some sort of a face covering, the systems announced.
"Effective Monday, May 18, face coverings or masks will be required when traveling in all Metro stations, trains, buses, and MetroAccess vehicles, and all Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) buses," according to a City of Alexandria announcement. "Per CDC guidance, face coverings may include bandanas, scarves, neck gaiters or homemade coverings easily made from t-shirts or other materials at minimal cost. Medical-grade masks should be prioritized for first responders and hospitals, and should not be used for this purpose. View a video from AHD for guidance on how to properly make and use a cloth face covering."
Fairfax Connector bus passengers must also wear masks.
While the rest of Virginia has entered Phase 1 of Gov. Ralph Northam's "Forward Virginia" plan to reopen, the D.C. metro area is not included yet. The estimated end of the stay-at-home order in Northern Virginia is May 28. The District of Columbia may reopen around June 8.
Along with DASH and Fairfax Connector, Metrorail and Metrobus service will start to return to normal operations over the next few months as Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. governments start allowing non-essential businesses and offices to open.
By early April, all three systems had reduced service significantly, encouraging riders to use public transit only if they had no other option. Reduced service hours have given employees more time to clean and disinfect the fewer trains and buses that are in use.
The buses that are running only allow rear-door boarding and drivers are protected by plexiglass shields. Operations center employees wear masks and trains and buses are routinely disinfected.
In an op-ed in The Washington Post, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld said Metro will have a three-phased opening plan. He did not provide a date during which the first phase would start, as it depends in part on the plans of regional governments and major workplaces, including the federal government.
In the first phase, trains will run every 20 minutes and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule. Service will ramp up slowly from there.
All riders will need to wear masks to board a bus or train in the WMATA system. (Right now, that's just a recommendation and request, according to Metro's website.)
"Our April survey of SmarTrip Cardholders found preferences for all passengers to wear masks, and for visible and frequent disinfecting of rail cars, buses and stations. Customers want plenty of room for social distancing when riding. These measures require fundamental changes to old practices. Until a vaccine is available, our customer experience can’t be what it was before the pandemic," Wiedefeld wrote.