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Across the United States and around the world, cities and community groups are treating transportation as part of the democracy toolkit — offering free bike-share rides, fare-free transit on Election Day, and free ride days across cities to remove a practical barrier to voting.
For many voters, the difference between making it to the ballot box and staying home is simply whether they can find an affordable, reliable way to get there: in 2016 more than 15 million people said transportation problems kept them from voting.
Shared micromobility and bicycle coalitions have repeatedly stepped up during election seasons. Many U.S. cities now host “Roll to the Polls” events — community rides that combine fun, visibility, and civic action. In Pittsburgh, for instance, POGOH has joined bike advocates nationwide in offering free bike-share rides on Election Day, encouraging residents to “vote by bike.” Nationally, companies like Lime, Citi Bike, and Bird have launched similar campaigns, offering promo codes for free or discounted rides to polling places.
These programs not only reduce transportation costs but also make voting feel like a shared, celebratory act of community.These efforts help where car ownership or transit connections are poor and also make voting feel safer and more communal for riders.
Public transit agencies have likewise adopted targeted policies. Federal and local transit agencies emphasize that transit connects people to civic life, and several U.S. transit authorities offer fare-free service on Election Day or coordinate free rides for voters — actions that reliably increase ridership on those days. Research from a 2023 study of large fare-free campaigns found a significant raise in transit use on election days (ridership increases were estimated in the single-digit to mid-teens percentage range), though the study also warned that simply removing fares does not always produce measurable increases in turnout — highlighting that transport access in itself is paramount in the shaping of voter participation.
POGOH’s Roll to the Polls initiative embodies the belief that democracy should be as accessible as a bike ride. By providing free, sustainable transportation options on Election Day, POGOH helps ensure that every Pittsburgher, regardless of neighborhood, income, or access to a car, can make their voice heard. As the program grows in the coming years, it aims to continue breaking down transportation barriers, inspiring civic engagement, and proving that when we move together, we all move democracy forward.
Works Cited & Further Reading
Pereira, R. H. M., et al., Free public transit and voter turnout (2023). sciencedirect.com+1