On Thursday, September 22, Bogotá will hold No Car Day, an environmentally friendly initiative to get the city’s eight million residents moving again on sustainable transportation after the event was suspended two years ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some 500,000 motorcycles will also remain parked on Thursday, as Bogotanos take to public transportation, bikes, electric scooters, or walk to work. The outlying municipalities of Chía and Mosquera are also taking part, giving their residents the opportunity to enjoy to zero-emission mobility. “No car day, including motorcycles, is a respite for the city,” said Carolina Urrutia, Bogotá’s Secretary of Environment. “Our objective is to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 57%. Emissions that most affect our health,” highlighted the district official.
Given high demand for public transport, Bogotá’s mass transit system TransMilenio will start receiving passengers at 3:30 am and will stay open until 1 a.m the following day. The articulated bus fleet will run at 100% capacity during peak hours and reinforced during off-peak hours – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The capital’s cable car TransMiCable will operate from 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The Mayoralty also announced that it will adjust traffic lights to give priority to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport at 1,559 intersections across the city.
Electric cars, but not hybrids, are among the vehicles exempt from No Car Day. Also all cars and motorcycles driven by people with disabilities, emergency vehicles, school buses, and vans with a capacity of 10 passengers or more. All surveillance motorcycles and private security vehicles, as well as funeral hearses, are also authorized to move freely on Thursday. So inclement weather permitting, No Car Day can be enjoyed by all, but remember to ride safely and share the road with pedestrians.