Week Without Driving PGH uplifts the stories of nondrivers and invites us all to advocate for improved mobility options. Together, we can win better access for all!
Whether we live in a suburban town or city neighborhood, everyone in Allegheny County deserves safe, reliable, dignified access to the places we need to go. We’re inviting you – whether you are an individual, organization representative, or elected official- to take the pledge to experience life as a non-driver, and participate in the national Week without Driving from Monday, Sept 29th – Sunday Oct 5th 2025!
The Week without Driving is a national week of action that uplifts the experiences of non-drivers in our communities, and highlights the barriers and challenges non-drivers face. As youth, people with disabilities, older adults, or people who cannot drive or afford a car, non-drivers represent nearly a third of the population.
The #WeekWithoutDriving challenge was launched in 2021 by Anna Zivarts at Disability Rights Washington and is now a national initiative, led by America Walks and the National Campaign for Transit Justice.
My name is Lauren Abt, and I invite you to join me for the Week Without Driving PGH to advocate for improved mobility for all!
My name is Lauren, I’m the organizer of Kidical Mass Pittsburgh, and Week Without Driving is important to me because I want more people to consider the burden that a car-centric city puts on families. I want our community to think about how we can improve the independent mobility of children, most of whom are not old enough to drive.
I have four children, and my oldest is a freshman in high school. His access to and ability to use his own bike, PRT, and POGOH is a lifesaver when it means that I don’t have to drag [my] little kids with me to drop him off at school across town at 7am, or pick him up from his after school activities when I need to be helping with homework or making dinner. I want Week Without Driving to spur conversations about how and when to get kids on PRT by themselves, to activate more parents to lobby for improved transit. To encourage families to let their kids ride and walk where they need to go by connecting them with other parents who are doing the same. This is a big part of what I hope Kidical Mass Pittsburgh will do, beyond just our bike rides.
Not having access to a car can limit kids’ opportunities and experiences because of the lack of accessible, affordable, efficient, and enjoyable transportation options. Unfortunately, that is the reality for families without access to a vehicle, and for families working to reduce their car dependence, it’s a big hurdle.
We all deserve safe streets. We all deserve robust public transit. Too often those things are talked about as if they’re luxuries or as if cycling is simply a fun choice that people make. Having access to a car is a luxury that 30% of people in Allegheny County don’t have, and Week Without Driving tells their stories.