PPE vending machines, like this one installed at a New York subway station, are coming to six CTA stations. (Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Facebook)
Later this year, the Chicago Transit Authority will roll out personal protective equipment (PPE) vending machines at six rail stations, the agency announced Wednesday.
The machines will be stocked with items including disposable face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and disposable gloves, ranging in price from $3.75 to $10. The stations selected for the machines are: Belmont, Roosevelt and 79th stations on the Red Line, the Midway station on the Orange Line, the Jefferson Park station on the Blue Line and the Kedzie station on the Green Line.
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority added PPE vending machines to 10 of its system's subway stations in July, with KN95 masks and reusable cloth masks among the options available for purchase. The MTA also equipped 360 buses, covering 15 routes, with free mask dispensers. MTA riders face $50 fines for not wearing masks.
Mask usage, or non-usage, has been an ongoing source of complaints from CTA riders throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Masks are already required for riders and employees and it’s something we continually remind people of. We’ve long been campaigning all over the system (signs, decals, announcements and more) to work make sure people know and cooperate.
— cta (@cta) October 20, 2020
CTA is also continuing to give away free Travel Healthy kits, which include a reusable cloth mask, hand sanitizer and healthy travel tips. More than 14,000 kits have been distributed since summer.
CTA's PPE vending machines will be installed and operated by Canteen, which is one of the suppliers providing the same service to MTA.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
