The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rejected a petition from a labor union Friday that would issue a departmentwide mandate requiring all passengers on DOT-approved transportation to wear masks, underscoring the lack of universal health protocols deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic by the federal government.

In a letter dated Oct. 2, a petition created by Larry Willis, the president of Transportation Trades Department, a union within the AFL-CIO organization, was rejected for implementation as a rule on Department of Transportation-regulated commercial vehicles.

The petition reportedly urged the DOT to “promulgate a regulation mandating that passengers traveling with DOT-regulated commercial transportation providers wear masks or face coverings,” primarily out of concern for the health and safety of industry workers who conduct their jobs in frequently traveled public spaces with circulated air, putting them at an increased risk for contracting a COVID-19 infection.