Cleveland mobility advocates are taking part in a challenge this week to navigate the city without their own cars, and they’re asking the public to join them during National Week Without Driving.
The goal of the week is to raise awareness about the challenges faced by people who rely on walking, biking or mass transit to get around by not driving a personal vehicle to get around during the week.
"If you don't live near a rapid line, like the Red, Blue, or Green Line, navigating busses can be particularly challenging with frequency and reliability," Bike Cleveland Advocacy Director Jenna Thomas said. "If city council people took part in this challenge, they would kind of see all of the ways that our transportation system could be improved."
About a quarter of Cleveland residents don't have access to a personal vehicle as their primary mode of transportation, according to Census data, leaving them to rely on other forms of transportation to navigate the city.
Laura Kleinman, executive director of Cleveland’s Senior Transportation Connection, took up the challenge. Though she normally drives to work, Kleinman used a combination of biking and rail to get to work Tuesday.
She knows having the option to use a car is a privilege some residents don’t have.
"It's really important to realize why that is and what we all can do to kind of raise awareness, advocate for more support, advocate to policymakers for more funding and for more, I think, openness in the community for getting around in different ways," she said.
Two days without her car isn't too bad, Kleinman said, thanks to the Greater Cleveland RTA Transit app that helps plan her commute and purchase her bus and rapid passes. But when she considers feedback from senior residents, Kleinman said there's a need for short notice, on demand transit options to help those with mobility issues get around the around the city.
"We really take it for granted that when you have your car, as long as it's working and it's got gas, you can go where you want, when you want," she said. "Someone who is unable to drive or has some mobility issue cannot respond to life that way, and that provides limitations on seeing a doctor or going back to the grocery store."
National Week Without Driving raises awareness about the other transit options or the barriers to them, Thomas said.
"It originally stemmed from the disability movement and trying to make sure people understood how difficult it is to get around without driving, especially for people with disabilities," she said. "Now many, many organizations take part and call upon decision makers, especially to challenge themselves to go a week without driving."
Several Cleveland officials have committed to the week, including Cleveland Councilmember Rebecca Maurer and Cuyahoga County Senior Advisor for Transportation Annie Pease, Thomas said, but she’d like to see more participation before the challenge ends Sunday.
Bike Cleveland hosts several events throughout the week to continue conversations around multimodal, car-free transportation throughout the city.
