Nataley Davis | features editor
 
Coraopolis resident Bill Frissell has been using Pittsburgh Regional Transit on and off for 40 years since he started working in the North Hills, taking the bus back and forth.

In 2023, Frissell had his left leg amputated and noticed that riding public transit can be difficult for people who use wheelchairs or canes.

“From my experience, sometimes the bus driver can’t pull right up to the curb because of people parking,” Frissell said. “People will park right where the bus stops are, but then I have to walk out to the street to jump on a bus.”

Three years ago, several local organizations banded together to join the national movement, “Week Without Driving,” to show lawmakers that Pittsburgh needs safer sidewalks, connected bike lanes and a public transit system that works for everyone.

“We want to have individuals that do drive see some of the problems that individuals that don’t drive have by utilizing different modes of transportation, whether it’s on a bicycle or on the bus,” Frissell said.

This year, BikePGH, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Access Mob Pittsburgh and Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh are hosting “Week Without Driving Pittsburgh “with support from sponsors across the region Oct. 1-8.

So, I decided to take the pledge to go a week without driving, to learn about the struggles people like Frissell encounter daily.

How the week went for me

A question I have asked myself countless times over the few years I have lived in Pittsburgh: Should I drive, ride or walk?

I live on campus and I have my car here, so usually the answer is drive.

The first thing I noticed when I began walking around the city instead of driving this week was, of course, the city’s infamous hills.

I found myself winded walking with my grocery bags up inclines small and large back to Duquesne.

I also began to carpool with friends instead of driving my own car. It felt almost burdensome to ask other people if I could tag along in their car.

I didn’t get to take the bus or the train yet this week, but in my past experiences, Pittsburgh Regional Transit has driven right past me waiting at the stop.

This always made me think about people who rely on public transit everyday for work and medical appointments. I get annoyed when the bus or train doesn’t come on time, but this exercise made me realize what a luxury it is to have other options I can turn to in a pinch.

Why it’s important

Cassandra Masters, the interim executive director of Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh, said because so much of the city consists of non-drivers, it’s only right that Pittsburghers are given the right to decide how they feel comfortable traveling in the city.

“We know in Allegheny County that 30% of our neighbors don’t drive, and a big portion of that 30% is older residents,” Masters said. “At Age-Friendly, we really believe that everyone deserves to be able to move throughout their community in whatever way they choose.”

She added that taking the pledge helps build community support and bridges a divide between drivers, pedestrians and public transit riders.

“It is definitely an empathy, sympathy building exercise for people,” Masters said. “Especially for people who drive — which is myself included — we sort of tend to forget the different challenges that non-drivers face.”

Daniel Yablonsky, a digital organizing director for Pittsburghers for Public Transit, said another reason the week is hosted is to alert lawmakers in Pittsburgh that all residents deserve accessible transportation.

“I think that some of the difficulties that people are going to run into are directly the result of our elected officials not prioritizing some of the most vulnerable in our communities,” Yablonsky said. “If at the center of public policy were children, were seniors, were people who are disabled or people who have low income, society would look a lot different.”

It’s not all negative, though.

Week Without Driving Pittsburgh also emphasizes the joys of using alternative methods of transportation in the city.

Masters said driving around the city often limits connection to the outside world and inhibits building community.

“When you bike, you’re able to sort of slow down and you’re able to really feel like you’re part of the streetscape, whereas when you’re in the car, it feels very contained and you’re probably listening to your own radio or taking a phone call or eating while driving,” Masters said. “I think with public transit and walking, it’s also just an amazing opportunity for you to connect with neighbors … You really do get to know people who are also heading where you’re heading every day.”

Nataley Davis can be reached at davisn5@duq.edu