MTA & NYPD kick off $50 tix for maskless

New Yorkers who decline to wear face masks while riding mass transit began to face the threat of $50 fines on Monday as a rule change mandated by Gov. Cuomo went into effect.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials have requested riders wear them in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 since April 15, when Cuomo first mandated masks be worn on transit.

But until the governor altered his policy last week, cops were not allowed to enforce the rule with fines or summonses.

Transit unions have raised concerns over low mask usage as subway and bus ridership slowly rebounds.

MTA officials said their inhouse surveys show more than 90% of subway riders comply with the mask rule, but a survey from Transport Workers Union Local 100 released last month shows that mask compliance is just 60% on buses.

Local 100 President Tony Utano floated a $100 fine for riders who refuse to wear masks — the MTA’s ticket price came in at half that.

“To be clear, this is not about revenue, and we have no interest in issuing fines or summonses,” MTA Chairman Patrick Foye said at a news conference Monday. “This is about public health.”

Foye pointed out that the MTA hands out free masks (photo) to riders at subway station booths and has mask dispensers on some buses. The $50 fines will only be issued if a rider does not have a mask and still refuses to wear a free one, he said.

The fines will be issued by the MT A’ s in-house police officers as well as NYPD cops.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said on NY1 Monday his officers are not looking to fine New Yorkers “and further hurt people that are already hurting.”

Shea said the department would crack down on cops who decline to wear masks on transit as well, but through “internal disciplinary policies” instead of $50 fines.