<![CDATA[nondriver]]>30% of people in the US & Canada can't or don't drive.

nondriver is a podcast about the lives and stories of those people, hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. Every episode, we talk to people who navigate a world built for drivers, not as a lifestyle experiment, but as a permanent reality. Disabled people, older adults, low-income riders, rural nondrivers, and transit advocates who have been telling the truth about car dependency long before it became a talking point.

The transportation conversation is changing. But most of it still centers people who chose to go car-free. This show centers the people who never had the choice, and have the clearest view of what the system actually costs.

New episodes every week.

Questions? nondriverpodcast@proton.me

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance.

]]>https://nondrivers.orgRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:14:39 GMTFri, 08 May 2026 16:10:55 GMT60nondriver<p>30% of people in the US &amp; Canada can't or don't drive.<br /></p><p><b><i>nondriver</i></b> is a podcast about the lives and stories of those people, hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. Every episode, we talk to people who navigate a world built for drivers, not as a lifestyle experiment, but as a permanent reality. Disabled people, older adults, low-income riders, rural nondrivers, and transit advocates who have been telling the truth about car dependency long before it became a talking point.<br /></p><p>The transportation conversation is changing. But most of it still centers people who chose to go car-free. This show centers the people who never had the choice, and have the clearest view of what the system actually costs.<br /></p><p>New episodes every week.<br /><br />Questions? <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:nondriverpodcast@proton.me" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast@proton.me</a></p><p></p><p><b><i>nondriver</i></b> is a production of <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nondrivers.org/" target="_blank">Nondrivers Alliance.</a></p>episodicnondrivernondriverpodcast@proton.meno<![CDATA[How to Make Your City More Accountable to Nondrivers, ft. Karthik Balasubramanian]]>Karthik Balasubramanian is a Howard University professor and chair of DC's Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council who became a nondriver at 24, after a Stargardt macular degeneration diagnosis that already ran in the family. Raised in the sidewalk-free Cincinnati suburbs, Karthik drifted through Seattle and Boston as a casual cyclist before DC turned a quiet preference for walkable streets into active advocacy, including the co-development of a Time Tax idea that shows DC nondrivers how much the city values their time.

Questions? email nondriverpodcast@proton.me

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: https://nondrivers.org

Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.

Pick up a copy of Anna's book When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. https://annazivarts.com/

]]>852d7623-71fc-4cb5-a1e5-66cfa3252b2dFri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT<p>Karthik Balasubramanian is a Howard University professor and chair of DC's Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council who became a nondriver at 24, after a Stargardt macular degeneration diagnosis that already ran in the family. Raised in the sidewalk-free Cincinnati suburbs, Karthik drifted through Seattle and Boston as a casual cyclist before DC turned a quiet preference for walkable streets into active advocacy, including the co-development of a Time Tax idea that shows DC nondrivers how much the city values their time.</p><p></p><p>Questions? email <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:nondriverpodcast@proton.me" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast@proton.me</a></p><p></p><p>nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nondrivers.org" target="_blank">https://nondrivers.org</a></p><p></p><p>Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.</p><p></p><p>Pick up a copy of Anna's book <i>When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency.</i> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annazivarts.com/" target="_blank">https://annazivarts.com/</a></p>no00:31:03How to Make Your City More Accountable to Nondrivers, ft. Karthik Balasubramanianfull<![CDATA[How Transit Access Connects Social Movements]]>Una Fonte grew up legally blind in rural Vermont, an hour's walk from a bus that came when it felt like it. After a transformative time abroad in Germany, she began organizing in the US for climate and mobility justice. Una turned that experience into a body of work arguing that transportation access is the thread connecting climate, disability, and social justice more broadly.

Questions? email nondriverpodcast@proton.me

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: https://nondrivers.org

Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.

Pick up a copy of Anna's book When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. https://annazivarts.com/

]]>2b1e3028-af49-45e8-96bc-1abc7ee7aa64Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT<p>Una Fonte grew up legally blind in rural Vermont, an hour's walk from a bus that came when it felt like it. After a transformative time abroad in Germany, she began organizing in the US for climate and mobility justice. Una turned that experience into a body of work arguing that transportation access is the thread connecting climate, disability, and social justice more broadly.</p><p></p><p>Questions? email <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:nondriverpodcast@proton.me" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast@proton.me</a></p><p></p><p>nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nondrivers.org" target="_blank">https://nondrivers.org</a> </p><p></p><p>Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.</p><p></p><p>Pick up a copy of Anna's book <i>When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annazivarts.com/" target="_blank">https://annazivarts.com/</a></p>no00:36:3413How Transit Access Connects Social Movementsfull<![CDATA[What Does it Mean to be a Nondriver "by Default?"]]>Most people who talk about transportation alternatives have chosen to give up their car. Devin Silvernail never had that option. After a lifetime of living car-free by default, he focused his energy on fighting for equitable mobility and mobility safety improvements from inside City Hall. He reflects on organizing from within city government, and why it's important to have both an inside and outside strategy.

Devin Silvernail is a policy designer and equitable mobility advocate, born legally blind with Nystagmus. He did constituent services work in SF Supervisor David Campos's office, then served as Policy Director for Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales from 2020 to 2024. In 2024, he and his family relocated to Nantes, France. He is co-host and producer of Nondrivers Alliance Podcast.

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:05] Growing Up With Low Vision in the Suburbs

[06:51] From Neighborhood Advocate to City Hall Insider

[19:52] Why We Left: The Full Cost of Car-Dependent Living

[25:04] Life in France and What Political Will Can Do

[34:45] Nondriver by Default: Who This Show Is For

[38:24] Disabled People as Oracles of the Future


Find Devin on Bluesky @devinsilvernail.bsky.social and YouTube @devinsilvernail

Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.

Questions? email nondriverpodcast@proton.me

Subscribe on YouTube

https://youtube.com/@nondriver

Follow us on Bluesky

@nondriverpodcast.bsky.social

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: https://nondrivers.org

Pick up a copy of Anna's book When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. https://annazivarts.com/

]]>6eef4da4-952f-411a-a9d7-25b07dd42f2eFri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT<p>Most people who talk about transportation alternatives have chosen to give up their car. Devin Silvernail never had that option. After a lifetime of living car-free by default, he focused his energy on fighting for equitable mobility and mobility safety improvements from inside City Hall. He reflects on organizing from within city government, and why it's important to have both an inside and outside strategy.</p><p></p><p>Devin Silvernail is a policy designer and equitable mobility advocate, born legally blind with Nystagmus. He did constituent services work in SF Supervisor David Campos's office, then served as Policy Director for Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales from 2020 to 2024. In 2024, he and his family relocated to Nantes, France. He is co-host and producer of Nondrivers Alliance Podcast.</p><p></p><p>Chapters:</p><p>[00:00] Introduction</p><p>[02:05] Growing Up With Low Vision in the Suburbs</p><p>[06:51] From Neighborhood Advocate to City Hall Insider</p><p>[19:52] Why We Left: The Full Cost of Car-Dependent Living</p><p>[25:04] Life in France and What Political Will Can Do</p><p>[34:45] Nondriver by Default: Who This Show Is For</p><p>[38:24] Disabled People as Oracles of the Future</p><p><br />Find Devin on Bluesky <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/devinsilvernail.bsky.social" target="_blank">@devinsilvernail.bsky.social</a> and YouTube <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@devinsilvernail" target="_blank"><b>@devinsilvernail</b></a></p><p></p><p>Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.</p><p></p><p>Questions? email <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:nondriverpodcast@proton.me" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast@proton.me</a></p><p></p><p>Subscribe on YouTube</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtube.com/@nondriver" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/@nondriver</a></p><p>Follow us on Bluesky</p><p>@<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://nondriverpodcast.bsky.social" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast.bsky.social</a></p><p></p><p>nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nondrivers.org" target="_blank">https://nondrivers.org</a></p><p></p><p>Pick up a copy of Anna's book <i>When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annazivarts.com/" target="_blank">https://annazivarts.com/</a></p>no00:40:1711What Does it Mean to be a Nondriver "by Default?"full<![CDATA[Anna Zivarts on Why Nondrivers Should Lead the Urbanist Movement]]>The urbanist movement loves to talk about car-free living. What it talks about less is the people who never had a choice. Anna Zivarts has spent her career building the case that those people shouldn't be a footnote to this conversation. They're the ones who should be leading it.

Anna Zivarts is the founder of Nondrivers Alliance and author of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. Anna co-created the Week Without Driving challenge and directed the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington.

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction

[03:17] When the union said "become a researcher"

[06:12] Coming to embrace disability & identity

[11:58] The book as an organizing tool

[16:13] The burden of relying on others for rides

[25:56] Car-free by choice vs nondriver by default

[36:20] Sustainable advocacy

Anna's book
When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency

Bluesky

@nondriver.bsky.social

Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.

Questions? email nondriverpodcast@proton.me

Subscribe on YouTube

https://youtube.com/@nondriver

Follow us on Bluesky

@nondriverpodcast.bsky.social

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: https://nondrivers.org

Pick up a copy of Anna's book When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. https://annazivarts.com/

]]>3ee25dbd-b94d-4629-868f-5e719adefa9fFri, 12 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT<p>The urbanist movement loves to talk about car-free living. What it talks about less is the people who never had a choice. Anna Zivarts has spent her career building the case that those people shouldn't be a footnote to this conversation. They're the ones who should be leading it.</p><p></p><p>Anna Zivarts is the founder of Nondrivers Alliance and author of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. Anna co-created the Week Without Driving challenge and directed the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington.</p><p></p><p>Chapters: </p><p>[00:00] Introduction </p><p>[03:17] When the union said "become a researcher" </p><p>[06:12] Coming to embrace disability &amp; identity</p><p>[11:58] The book as an organizing tool </p><p>[16:13] The burden of relying on others for rides </p><p>[25:56] Car-free by choice vs nondriver by default </p><p>[36:20] Sustainable advocacy</p><p></p><p>Anna's book<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annazivarts.com/" target="_blank"><i>When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency</i></a></p><p>Bluesky</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/nondriver.bsky.social" target="_blank">@</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://nondriver.bsky.social" target="_blank">nondriver.bsky.social</a></p><p></p><p>Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.</p><p></p><p>Questions? email <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:nondriverpodcast@proton.me" target="_blank">nondriverpodcast@proton.me</a></p><p></p><p>Subscribe on YouTube</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtube.com/@nondriver" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/@nondriver</a></p><p>Follow us on Bluesky</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/nondriverpodcast.bsky.social" target="_blank">@nondriverpodcast.bsky.social</a></p><p></p><p>nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nondrivers.org" target="_blank">https://nondrivers.org</a></p><p></p><p>Pick up a copy of Anna's book <i>When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency</i>. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annazivarts.com/" target="_blank">https://annazivarts.com/</a></p><p></p>no00:44:1212Anna Zivarts on Why Nondrivers Should Lead the Urbanist Movementfull