Metro announced late Monday evening that it would make masks optional on all of its services, effective immediately. But a few rides on WMATA Tuesday showed that most people continued to wear their masks.

“Our mask mandate has been based on federal guidance,” said Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld in a statement. “We will continue to monitor this situation as it unfolds, but masks will be optional on Metro property until further notice.”

The decision comes after a Trump-appointed federal judge in Florida struck down the mask mandate on planes, trains, buses, and other modes of public transportation, ruling that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order was “unlawful.” The White House said the Biden administration will review the ruling — in the meantime, TSA will no longer enforce the mask mandate. The mask mandate for transportation was the highest-profile and among the few remaining mandates in the country. The TSA originally had extended the mandate from April 18 to May 3.

Within hours, the nation’s largest airlines dropped the mandate for domestic flights. Amtrak also moved Monday night to make masks optional for passengers aboard trains and in stations, while encouraging “anyone needing or choosing to wear one” to continue doing so. Some local transportation agencies, such as New York’s MTA, told passengers their mask requirements would remain in effect. Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft also lifted their mask mandate and front seat restrictions on Tuesday.

“Metro encourages its customers to make decisions that are in their best interests,” the agency said in a news release. “Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.”

On Tuesday morning, most Metro riders kept their masks on — at least on two rides on the Red Line. Lydia McDonough said she would continue to wear her mask for a while.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” she said. “We have to be responsible with each other and take care of ourselves, you know?”

Marcus Shell and his wife were also wearing masks on a Red Line platform while waiting for a train.

“I’m just used to (wearing a mask on the train). She’s used to it. I figured I would wear a mask just to be safe period… just to protect ourselves. Why not?” Shell said. But he says he doesn’t think the new ruling will change anyone’s behavior. “People are going to do what they want to do regardless of whether there’s a mandate or not.”

The transit agency’s mandate wasn’t enforced well in the first place, with some people riding maskless with no repercussions.

Back in 2020, Wiedefeld said he would not make bus operators or station managers enforce the mandate to avoid altercations. He said Metro Transit Police could be called on to help.

“This a community issue. We all need to do our part,” Wiedefeld said during an Oct. 2020 appearance on the Politics Hour. “It’s very frustrating, but we have to get the community basically to do the right thing … We don’t want to be the mask enforcement police.”

The mandate on Metro lasted 704 days.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle’s ruling was “obviously a disappointing decision.” Despite the ruling, the CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask in public transit.