What would change in your life if driving wasn’t an option?
From October 1–8, 2026, Charlottesville will join communities nationwide in observing Week Without Driving, a national initiative that encourages people to experience and reflect on what it means to get around without relying on a personal vehicle.
The initiative is especially relevant because approximately one-third of people in the United States are nondrivers. This includes older adults, people with disabilities, young people, people who cannot afford the costs associated with owning a vehicle, and people who choose not to drive.
On September 21, Charlottesville City Council officially recognized October 1–8 as Week Without Driving, joining the national effort to raise awareness of the transportation challenges nondrivers experience every day.
What Is Week Without Driving?
Week Without Driving began in Washington State in 2021 as an effort to help elected officials, transportation professionals, and community leaders better understand the barriers faced by people who cannot drive. The initiative has since grown into a national movement. In 2026, it is being led by the Nondrivers Alliance with support from America Walks and other partners.
The idea is simple: for some or all of your trips during the week, try getting where you need to go without driving yourself.
Participants can walk, bike, roll, take public transportation, carpool, use rideshare services, or ask someone for a ride. The goal is not to prove that living without a car is easy – or even that every trip can be completed without driving.
And if there is simply no practical alternative to driving, that is part of the experience too.
Try It in Charlottesville
Charlottesville and the surrounding region offer a variety of alternatives to driving, although availability depends greatly on where a person lives and where they need to go.
Local and regional options highlighted during Charlottesville’s Week Without Driving proclamation include Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT), MicroCAT, Jaunt, University Transit Service, Afton Express, Virginia Breeze, Rideshare carpool program, and transportation information and referral assistance through PATH.
Charlottesville also has relatively high levels of walking and biking: according to the City, biking and walking account for nearly 18% of commuting trips in Charlottesville. The City works with local nonprofits and transit organizations each fall as part of Week Without Driving.
Take the Challenge: October 1–8
You don’t have to give up your car completely to participate.
Try taking the bus for one trip. Walk or bike somewhere you would normally drive. Arrange a carpool. Ask someone for a ride and consider what it feels like to depend on another person’s schedule. Plan a trip using public transportation and compare the time and flexibility with making the same trip by car.
Week Without Driving isn’t about succeeding or failing at going car-free. It’s about understanding how transportation choices (or the lack of them) shape people’s ability to participate in their communities.
Week Without Driving takes place October 1–8, 2026.
You can explore all transportation services available in the Charlottesville region here: pathva.org/transportation-services-in-the-charlottesville-area/
Learn more about the national initiative, participation ideas, and resources at the official Week Without Driving website: https://weekwithoutdriving.org/