On July 16th, 2020 Colorado Governor Jared Polis passed executive order D-2020-138 mandating that masks need to be worn at all times when entering indoor public spaces and using non-personal transportation like busses, Ubers, & Lyfts.
This executive order comes at the heels of the increasing number of novel coronavirus cases in the state of Colorado, according to these graphs created by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.
What Does This Executive Order Entail?
This executive order mandates that masks covering the mouth and nose must be worn by all Colorado citizens aged 11 years and older who are in an enclosed indoor public space. Meaning, if you walk into a:
- Grocery Store
- Office Space
- Restaurant
- Convenience Store
- Etc.
You must wear a mask while you are inside. This also applies to non-personal transportation vehicles such as Ubers, Lyfts, taxis, and busses.
How Does This Affect Truck Drivers?
The executive order does not dictate that truck drivers must wear masks while driving in their truck at all times. If you own your own truck then that would classify it as a personal transportation vehicle making it optional for you to wear one inside. Transpro takes care of our company trucks and has mandated that all employees must properly sanitize company vehicles, pickups, or tractors prior to operating. If you feel safer wearing a mask when driving a company truck though, then please do so.
However, if you stop at truck stops, gas stations or any other indoor public area, you must put on a mask before entering. For that reason, we advise all truck drivers to have a mask in their truck at all times for these occasions. If you do not have a mask, there are several locations that now sell them, as well as resources online such as The Colorado Mask Project which show you how to make masks and find locations selling masks. In addition, there are several resources on YouTube that showcase how to make masks as well. Here is a video from the CDC showing how to make a mask with a shirt and two rubber bands.
What Happens if I Don’t Wear A Mask
According to the Colorado State COVID-19 page, not wearing a mask in these public spaces would imply you are violating a Colorado law and make you subject to civil or criminal penalties.
For More Information
We’ve updated our company COVID-19 page with information pertaining to this executive order. Log into that page for more information or follow the link to the Colorado COVID-19 Website.
We’re all in this pandemic together, so it’s important to look out for one another during these times. Be sure to wear a mask when entering any indoor public space while you’re out on the road to help limit the spread!
