ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s been a busy 24 hours for Regional Transit Service in Rochester.

Bus passengers and employees were told to mask up Wednesday, after being allowed to take them off on Tuesday.

"They gave us a call to say, ‘Why did you drop it?’ We explained and they spoke about the executive order,” explained RTS CEO Bill Carpenter. "It reads, 'if the CDC recommends it, we require it.'”

The company says despite Monday's ruling by a federal judge that struck down the national mask mandate for public transportation, the governor's office said the requirement remains in effect for now in New York state.

With rising COVID-19 cases across the area, many passengers were glad for the mask policy to stay.

“You just got to have a mask for your safety -- and your family, too,” said passenger Kenyon Hall. "You don’t know what you got on the bus from other people.”

“People say it’s annoying, but they’re only making us wear it for our safety,” John Major said while waiting for his bus.

New York State Department of Health guidelines say that if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends masking on buses and in airports, then masks will still be required until further notice.

RTS said it will continue to make masks available at its facilities, including the RTS Transit Center. More information can be found on the RTS website.

The U.S. Department of Justice says it will only appeal the federal ruling on the national mask mandate for transportation if the CDC deems it necessary.