Five Days of Freedom

Logo credit: Jeremy Tinianow

Five Days of Freedom was a campaign from April 21, 2012 - October 31, 2012. Learn more about the campaign by reading the Five Days of Freedom Campaign Report. For the quick version, check out our one-page Five Days of Freedom by the numbers.

Conducted with our alternative-transportation partners, MORPC asked people to commit to spending five days of any week during the campaign using any form of transportation other than driving alone. It was aimed at people of all ages and backgrounds in central Ohio and was intended both to gather information about the ease or difficulty in accomplishing five days without driving alone, and also to make people aware of transportation options. Incentives were be available throughout the campaign to encourage members of the community to try a different way of navigating the region.

This campaign was not anti-car. It recognized the importance of cars, but encouraged the community to think about how we use them – to look for opportunities to double-up on trips and errands and to suggest that more than just the driver’s seat should be in use.

The six-month campaign kicked off April 21, 2012 – at the Columbus Commons Earth Day celebration – and ran through October, which is Safe Routes to School Month. A follow-up survey asked participants if they reached their five-day goal and what they learned. We encouraged participants to share stories and experiences.

Want to learn more?
Click here for FAQs about how it works.

What’s in it for me?
Freedom from high gas prices
Freedom from freeway free-for-alls
Freedom from parking hassles
Freedom from lonely drives
Freedom from stress
Freedom to read and text as a passenger
Freedom to exercise mobility options

And…Fabulous prizes!
Incentives will be announced throughout the six month campaign – so stay tuned!

How will I get around?
Loads of Modes available for getting around—Here are a few resources to help you get started.

• Carpooling/vanpooling: RideSolutions
• Taking the bus: COTA
• Biking and Walking: Central Ohio Greenways, Columbus Metro Bike Users Map, Consider Biking, Yay Bikes, bicycle safety, pedestrian safety
• Guaranteed Ride Home: Five Days of Freedom registrants will be eligible for MORPC's Guaranteed Ride Home program

And here are some more imaginative options:

• Motorcycles/scooters
• Skateboards/in-line skates
• Kayaks/canoes
• Horses
• Ziplines
• Jetpacks

Beyond commuting
According to the National Household Travel Survey, 15.6 percent of U.S. “person trips” in 2009 were commutes from home to work and back. So Five Days of Freedom was designed to go far beyond commuting, to include the other 84.4 percent of trips. Participants used alternative transportation – or included an automobile passenger – for errands, shopping, sporting events, social visits and other daily trips. Though the campaign was not intended to promote recreational travel, there were ample opportunities to combine transportation and recreation.

Upcoming Events
Summer and Fall in central Ohio are rich in special events. By taking the pledge, Five Days participants had the freedom to avoid traffic, parking and refueling. Check out Pedal Instead’s listing of events with dedicated bike parking available. Here were some events in 2012 to which we encouraged residents in the region to walk, bike, carpool, or try transit.