As of today, April 19, 2022, U.S. riders & drivers will no longer be required to wear masks inside of Ubers. However, the lift is not applicable to NYC Ubers.
According to CBS News, “masks are required in all for-hire vehicles in New York City, including taxis and rideshare vehicles. Uber and Lyft say masks are no longer needed for drivers and riders outside the city,” in accordance to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Important:
Despite changing their mask policies nationally, in New York City @Uber & @Lyft are regulated by @nyctaxi, which has clarified that masks are STILL REQUIRED in all yellow taxis, app-based ride share, etc. https://t.co/NqBAy9aR5l
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) April 19, 2022
The announcement comes just after recent a court ruling lifting the mask mandate for all public transportation and transportation hubs nationwide.
You can now ride without a mask and use the front seat if you need to. While mask usage is still recommended, we’ve updated our Covid Safety policies. Let’s move forward, safely together.
For US riders only. pic.twitter.com/LgHYSsC4Bg
— Uber (@Uber) April 19, 2022
Though the CDC still recommends both riders and drivers wear a mask, Uber states on their policy update that it is up to personal discretion. Uber notes:
Remember: many people still feel safer wearing a mask because of personal or family health situations, so please be respectful of their preferences. And if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can always cancel the trip.
In addition to lifting the mask mandate, Uber has updated their no-front seat policy. Passengers are no longer required to ride in the back seat, however, Ubers asks for the sake of drivers’ space to only use the front seat when necessary by size of group.
Keep in mind that masks may still be required in Ubers by law in certain areas (such as NYC). Therefore, those using the Uber platform should check local COVID-19 safety rules and regulations to discern where.
So far, the decision has been met with much controversy, as many people are taking to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can learn more about the policy updates here.