NEW YORK - A review of mass transit systems in the U.S. and around the world found that city dwellers have a low risk of contracting coronavirus while riding the subway or a bus.

The report from former city traffic commissioner, Sam Schwartz, found no clear connection between the rise and fall of COVID-19 cases and public transit ridership.

"All the clusters are restaurants, in bars, in houses of worship, places where people talk, where people talk loudly,” said Schwartz.  “The thing that we got going for ourselves in the subway and other places - people don't talk to each other. If we're not talking, we're not sending out those particles that can infect others."

In New York, the report shows cases of COVID-19 falling dramatically while subway and bus ridership were gradually increasing.

The MTA has also stepped up its disinfection of buses, subway cars and stations, and requires riders to cover their face, or get a fine.

"It's mask compliance that is clearly the most single most important thing - all research agrees on it, including the Sam Schwartz report,” MTA Chairman Pat Foye said. “Customers can protect themselves. They can protect their fellow commuters and importantly our employees."

Right now, while mass transit use is slowly rising, subway ridership is still down nearly 70 percent from pre-pandemic levels.