The U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plan to provide 15.5 million cloth facial coverings to transportation workers across the United States.

[Above photo by the Maryland Transit Administration.]

Those facial coverings – secured by the Federal Emergency Management Agency – will be sent out over the coming weeks through the U.S. Postal Service.

The USDOT noted that the mass transit and passenger rail sector will receive the largest number of coverings – 4.8 million – with the aviation industry getting 3.8 million and highway and motor carrier workers receiving 2.1 million.

“Transportation workers are on the front lines of keeping our transportation systems operational during this public health emergency,” said USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao in a statement. “Their well being and safety is paramount.”