Reflections from Week Without Driving, 2026
On behalf of Westside Transportation Alliance, and all the Week Without Driving partners, we want to thank you for joining us during this year's campaign.
The week in-summary
Over 200 Get There users joined us, and we received three proclamations from Westside cities. The City of Tigard renewed their proclamation for the second year, and the Cities of Beaverton and Tualatin joined in for the first time.
Your reflections
We asked you to reflect on your week and share your stories with us, and you delivered! Here are some memorable reflections and photos from this year's participants:
"...Biking makes me feel part of my community in a way that driving doesn't." - Get There user
"Call it a dash of whimsy. Call it a light zippy underbiked joyride. Call it my afforable midlife crisis." - Get There user
"Being able to have the options of walking, biking, or taking reliable transit make getting around this beautiful city without a car a breeze!" - Get There user
"It's hard. Harder than it should be.... It's sad to have to choose between my personal safety and trying to save money biking to more easily afford my housing costs." - Nic Westendorf
"One of my colleagues takes the bus to work every day and walks the remaining distance to work, so I pass her almost every morning and we give each other a wave. Another one of my other colleagues recently started biking to work, so I have been sharing tips with him on tools and tricks to ride in the waning light. The bike commutes have been such a pleasant way to get a bit of fresh air, log some exercise, and connect with others." - Tianna Coburn
"I have saved over $500 in fuel costs, read about 3 additional books, and set my fantasy football lineups with a clear head leading me to an unbeaten record! Thanks TriMet!" - Get There user
"I tried not to drive this week but the best I could do was to drive as little as possible and use alternate transportation where I could... I can't imagine how hard it would be for someone who didn't have an option to drive." - Get There user
"My biggest takeaway from Week Without Driving was realizing how many little things we take for granted when we have access to a car. At the same time, I was reminded that there are some really nice parts of traveling without driving. You actually get to look around instead of concentrating on traffic, you notice parts of your community you normally pass right by, and sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and let someone else do the driving. This week definitely gave me a greater appreciation for people who rely on these options every single day. I’d love to see a future where choosing not to drive feels like a genuinely convenient option rather than something that requires a lot of extra time and planning." - Harper Dooley
Cyclists of all ages ride past Pioneer Square on Broadway. Photo courtesy: Get There user Community events to browse while making transit connections at Pioneer Square. One Get There user spotted a raccoon near the Tualatin Hills Nature Park at the Merlo MAX station.
Original post:
2026 Week Without Driving: October 1-8
What would change in your life if driving wasn’t an option?
What changes when you cannot drive somewhere? Does an errand or a doctor’s appointment become a full-day commitment? Does a job become a question of access, not ability?
If you can drive and have access to a car, these questions might be answered quickly and simply. But these questions reveal how much we assume everyone drives. That assumption reveals who has access and who gets left out. When you don’t drive, everything becomes a negotiation between time, money, energy, distance and a tradeoff of what you can do and can access.
Mark your calendar: Thursday, October 1 through Thursday, October 8, 2026. Join us, spread the word, share your story! Use the hashtag #WeekWithoutDriving and tag @WeekWithoutDriving and Westside Transportation Alliance so we can amplify your story and show what transportation access really looks like in Washington County.
