Week Without Driving PA begins October 1. We invite you to listen, learn, and experience transportation in our community from a different perspective.
Some community conversations deserve to continue long after the meeting ends.
From October 1–8, Week Without Driving PA invites individuals, organizations, and community leaders across Pennsylvania to experience what it means to navigate daily life without relying on a personal vehicle.
Before the week begins, we invite you to hear from people in Northeastern Pennsylvania who navigate that reality every day.
At a recent NEPA Moves gathering, the Scranton Area Community Foundation brought together people who regularly use public transportation in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties to talk about what transportation looks like in their everyday lives.
At SACF, we know that strong communities depend on people having access to what they need to live, work, learn, stay healthy, and connect with others. Transportation is an important part of making that possible, and it intersects with many of the issues our community is working to address, from workforce development and healthcare access to economic opportunity and independence.
Part of our role as a community foundation is to listen to the people who experience our community’s opportunities and barriers every day. Those perspectives help us and our partners better understand how seemingly separate challenges are connected.
What we heard that morning was about much more than buses and schedules. It was about time, work, healthcare, independence, connection, and the ability to participate fully in community life. The stories shared with us stayed with us. We think they’re worth sharing with our community, too.
Explore the Stories
The experiences shared that morning were a reminder that community issues rarely exist in isolation. Transportation can affect whether someone can get to work, access healthcare, maintain relationships, participate in their community, or simply use their time the way many of us take for granted.
Explore four stories about what transportation access can make possible, and what becomes harder when getting there isn’t simple.
The Hidden Time Cost of Transportation
When a trip takes more than a trip.
One participant traveling from Wilkes-Barre to Scranton caught a bus at 5:55 a.m. to attend our 9:00 a.m. conversation.
For people who don’t drive, getting somewhere can begin hours before the trip itself.
When Transportation Becomes a Workforce Barrier
A job isn’t an opportunity if you can’t get there.
Training, job opportunities, and willing workers are only part of the workforce equation. People also need a realistic and reliable way to get to work—and back home again.
When Transportation Becomes a Health Barrier
Getting care still requires getting there.
One participant described a trip to a dental appointment that involved nearly three hours of travel. Ultimately, the appointment had to be canceled.
Healthcare access doesn’t begin when someone walks through the doctor’s office door. It begins with whether they can realistically get there.
Public Transportation Gives Us More Than a Ride
Independence shouldn’t require a car.
Participants talked about transportation as more than a way to reach a destination. They talked about work, relationships, independence, connection, confidence, and the ability to participate in community life.
Listening. Learning. Connecting the Dots.
Transportation is just one part of a much larger picture.
At SACF, we believe understanding our community begins with listening to the people who live and work here. Their experiences help us see how issues like transportation, workforce, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity intersect, and where stronger connections can help build a more vibrant Northeastern Pennsylvania.
We’ll continue creating opportunities to listen, learn, and share what we hear with our community.