Photo of Floyd crossing the street using hos wheelchair

Week Without Driving 2026: Transportation Bingo

Posted on September 9, 2026

Week Without Driving 2026: Transportation Bingo

October 1-8

Week Without Driving Bingo challenges you to think differently about how you move around your community, try new routes and modes of transportation, and engage with your neighbors. Print this board or take a screenshot. As you complete a task, mark it off.

Anybody can play! Here’s how:

Rules

The bingo board has 25 squares. Each square contains a task. Complete a task to mark off that square on your board. You may try to earn as many (or as few) squares as you would like during the course of the week. Players who show us their completed bingo board at our gathering on Thursday, October 8, will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize (must be present to win).

You do not have to refrain from driving for the entire week to play! Rather, use the game as an opportunity to reflect on (and change) your transportation habits, consider the needs and challenges that non-drivers face when moving around the city, and of course to be creative and have fun!

You may complete more than one square per trip, but if the board feels easy to you, then you can limit yourself to one square per trip. By participating, you are not entering into direct competition with other players. However, we do encourage you to invite others to play and to compete for fun against family members, coworkers, or friends!

All players are encouraged to share how they complete their squares on social media. Please share your adventures with us by using #WeekWithoutDriving and @DisabilityRightsMD on Facebook and Instagram or any other social media platforms you use.

Download Bingo Rules and Squares Explained

Closing Meet Up

October 8, 2026

5pm-7:30pm

Main St. Market

The Lot @ 4500 Harford Rd

Any bingo participation and coming to the closing meetup gives you entry into our raffle!

Bingo Squares Explained

Tell a friend about Week Without Driving Bingo: Help us spread the word! Let a friend know about this game, or invite somebody to play with you (or against you!) and claim the center square!

Try out different modes of public transportation: Whether you are a first-time or an experienced rider, use public transportation this week and share impressions from your journey(s). Each mode below is its own square on the board.

- Take a ride on the Metro or Light Rail
- Take a ride on a local, commuter, or free circulator bus
- Take a ride on MARC
- Take a ride on a bike or scooter
- Take a ride on a water taxi

Invite a friend to join you on a public transportation trip

Go for a walk without headphones and talk to someone new

Eliminate a car trip: Plan ahead to ditch your car and get to someplace you need to be by using active (any human-powered mode of travel) or public transportation instead. Do you usually drive to a store that you could walk to instead? Got tickets to the game and don’t want to drive? Just tired of driving to work or class or anywhere else? Shake up your routine by taking public transportation instead of your car to earn this square!

Make a trip that requires a transfer: Take a trip that requires a transfer between two or more modes (bus to Light Rail, Metro to bus, etc.) or a transfer between two or more bus lines. Share how convenient or inconvenient the transfer is for you to make. How could it be improved or made more accessible?

Find your way with transportation signage: When you are out and about, pay close attention to the signage along your route. Is it visible and accessible to all? Look for outdated, faded or incorrect signage, and report it to the transportation agency or via a 311 request.

Audit your street: Look closely at the sidewalk, curbs, and street. How do you think it would go for somebody using a wheelchair, rollator, other assisted mobility device, or stroller? What about a neighbor who is blind or low vision? Are there detectable warning services on curb cuts, or audible cross signals? Document and share your observations to earn this square! See the AARP audit worksheet for an example.

Submit a 311 request: Call 311 or use the app to submit a city service request that would make neighborhood streets safer and more accessible. For example, request a needed footway/sidewalk repair (where one is broken, cracked, or chipped, creating a trip hazard); a new crosswalk at an intersection where one is needed; fresh striping for a faded crosswalk or bike lane; traffic calming measures on a street where speeding is a concern; or report an issue with a problematic public streetlight or traffic sign.

Organize a carpool: Coordinate with people you know to organize a carpool that would otherwise be multiple trips in single occupancy vehicles. Reducing the number of cars on the road makes our neighborhoods safer for everybody.

Advocate for safety: Write to a lawmaker about a transportation, accessibility, or street safety issue in your neighborhood.

Thank a transit worker: This week and always! Thank the workers who keep Baltimore’s streets, transit systems, and public spaces running. Simply say “Thank you!” to a bus or Metro operator, a school crossing guard, a trash and recycling collector, or another everyday hero. Or be more creative and visible about it – a wave, a note, a sign, or a shoutout on social media all count too!

Use active (any human-powered mode of travel) or public transportation to explore your city!

Do one of the following to earn this square:

- Visit a new-to-you public space: Use active or public transportation to visit a park, playground, library, or recreation center that you have never been to before. Is the space accessible for all to enjoy? What do you like about it and what do you feel could be improved? Share where you visited and how you got there!
- Explore a new-to-you neighborhood: Without using a car, visit a neighborhood that you would like to get to know better. Is there a place you usually drive through, but would like to see by foot or bike?
- Play tourist with public transportation: Leave your car at home and do something unabashedly touristy in your town! How many other tourists do you see using transit? Document and share your experience!

Take a selfie at Baltimore Penn Station or Washington DC Union Station: Get there without a car and take some time to explore. If you use the station regularly, slow down and find something interesting that you have never noticed before — or investigate something that you see every time. Take a selfie to show you were there and share pictures of what you discover!

Create a car-free transportation-themed playlist: To reflect on how entrenched car culture is in popular culture, create a playlist of songs about or referencing transportation… but not cars! Share your playlist with us to earn this square and so that we can create the ultimate playlist!

Connect with an advocacy group: There are many advocacy groups in Baltimore working to make the city’s transportation infrastructure safe and accessible for all residents. To earn this square, learn about their work and sign up for at least one group’s newsletter:

Download and use a transit app: There are many tools available to riders to help them navigate public transportation. CharmPass, Transit, Mobility All Access, and See Say are some examples. Riders can use apps to plan travel, pay for tickets, track the location and status of transit vehicles, and report issues. Use an app during your bingo adventures and share about your experience to earn this square!

Use active (any human-powered mode of travel) or public transportation to support a local business: Ditch your car and use active or public transportation instead to travel to a favorite local business or one you have been meaning to try out! Grab something to eat or drink, do some shopping, or treat yourself – you deserve it! Think about it as spending the money you can save by not driving on yourself and your community instead. 🙂

Spot a paratransit vehicle in the wild: Paratransit services are for people who, because of a disability, are unable to use the fixed route services offered in public transportation. Learn about paratransit services such as MobilityLink and Metro Access. Then share a picture of a paratransit vehicle that you see in public to earn this square! Did you know that individuals must register as certified riders to use paratransit? So consider sharing what you learn about paratransit with people you know who might qualify.

Submit feedback to a transit agency: Public transportation systems rely on feedback from their riders and customers to improve services and make them more accessible to all. Submit feedback about your experiences with public transportation to MTA, WMATA, or another transportation agency to earn this square!

Photo of older adults working on laptops. One is looking at the camera

Take Our Annual Survey!

Posted on May 29, 2026

Disability Rights Maryland would like to hear from you! We are conducting our annual Legal Advocacy Services Plan survey, asking the community to weigh in about the most important disability-related legal needs facing Marylanders and what DRM should focus on in the coming year. DRM’s current Plan can be found here: FY-26-Advocacy-Service-Plan-final-Board-approved.pdf. Our FY27 Plan will be finalized and issued by the end of this year. There are so many issues we would like to tackle, but our resources are limited and we want to concentrate on the most important needs in our communities.

Please share your feedback by July 17, 2026:

Need a printed version?

English Word Doc

Spanish Word Doc

To request a paper survey, provide feedback over the phone or in-person, or if you need an accommodation or translation to participate, call us at 410-727-6352 ext. 0 or email JackieP@disabilityrightsmd.org.

Thank you!

photo collage of legislative events, text says 2026 legislative recap

2026 Legislative Highlights

Posted on May 21, 2026

The 2026 legislative session in Maryland was a challenging one for Marylanders with disabilities. DRM worked with partner organizations, individual allies, and legislators to advocate for bills that would protect and advance the rights of people with disabilities in Maryland. During the session, DRM paid close attention to over 170 bills and submitted formal support or opposition to at least 100 of those bills. Below are some highlights of the work we accomplished this year.

Child Welfare

This year we worked on a trio of child welfare bills including HB980, HB1559 and HB1181. Kanaiyah’s Law (HB980/SB996) bans the placement of foster care youth in unlicensed settings like hotels unless the agency is actively looking for placement. It is named after 16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward who died while housed in a hotel by the foster care system. While we wish each bill had gone further than it does to protect children and youth, we are hopeful that these bills will lead to much-needed reform of the child welfare system.

Other bills affecting children’s rights:

HB0012: Juvenile Sex Offender Registry—Qualifying Offenses and Access; DRM Opposed; Bill Did Not Pass
HB0014: County Boards of Education—Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation—Information Collection and Reporting Requirements; DRM Monitored; Bill Passed
HB396/SB402: Residential Child Care Programs—Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners; DRM Supported; Bill Passed

Voting

Voting was a big topic for many proposed bills. SB29 also passed and requires that ballot questions include a statement describing the policy change in plain language and a statement explaining the practical outcome of each voting choice. SB241/HB115 also passed and will ensure that individuals released from state correctional facilities will automatically have their voter registration restored. Both bills are waiting to be signed into law by the governor.

Other bills affecting voting rights:

HB1027/SB901: Election Law—Telephone Voting System—Requirements; DRM Supported with Amendments; Bill Did Not Pass
SB73: Election Law—Polling Place Procedures—Voting by Elderly Voters and Voters With Disabilities (Accessible and Expedited Voting Act of Maryland); DRM Supported; Bill Did Not Pass
SB100/HB263: Election Law—Early Voting Centers—Bus Stops; DRM Supported; Bill Passed
HB0641: Election Law – Curbside Voting – Pilot Program; DRM Supported with Amendments; Bill Did Not Pass

Mental Health

SB412/HB658 will change the way the Community Forensic Aftercare Program (CFAP) operates. CFAP monitors those who are found not criminally responsible because of an intellectual disability or mental illness to ensure they comply with the treatment. Changes to the program ensure greater transparency and will give those involved a voice in the CFAP process, allowing them to choose an agent (outside of their attorney) to represent their interests.

Other bills affecting mental health rights:

HB1014/SB707: Mental Health Law—Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others—Definition (Right to Treatment); DRM Opposed; Bill Passed
SB550: Health Care Decisions Act—Surrogate Decision Making—Mental Disorders; DRM Opposed; Bill Did Not Pass
HB632: Certificate of Need—Psychiatric Health Care Facilities and Psychiatric and Mental Health Services—Exemption; DRM Opposed; Bill Did Not Pass

Developmental Disabilities

Again, this year the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) faced budget cuts. DDA provides funds and coordinates community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Last year the DDA budget was cut by $126 million. This year Governor Moore proposed another $150 million in cuts. Through collective advocacy, $23 million was restored to this year’s budget.

The Maryland Protecting People with Disabilities Act (HB1445/SB 742) passed. This bill requires the State to follow federal legal requirements that protect people from losing Medicaid and home and community-based services because of procedural errors and processing delays. It requires the state to meet timelines, prevent procedural terminations of Medicaid eligibility, and prevent gaps in services. This bill is critical to ensuring access to home and community-based services and protecting against unnecessary institutionalization.

Other bills affecting developmental disability rights:

SB742/HB1445: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Developmental Disabilities Administration—Home-and-Community-Based Services Eligibility Determinations (Maryland Protecting People with Disabilities Act); DRM Supported; Bill Passed
SB745/HB634: Police Training—Autism and Dementia (LEAD Act of 2026); DRM Monitored; Bill Passed
HB1015: Developmental Disabilities Administration—Services—Eligibility for Recently Relocated Individuals (Ralph’s Act); DRM Supported; Bill Passed
HB1445/SB742: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Developmental Disabilities Administration—Home-and-Community-Based Services Eligibility Determinations (Maryland Protecting People with Disabilities Act); DRM Supported; Bill Passed

Housing

The Fair Chance in Housing Act (SB 937/HB 1073) also passed. This law will add restrictions on when and how landlords can deny someone housing based on their criminal record and makes automatic denials illegal. We remain concerned about how this law will be enforced and hope to work closely with the Maryland Attorney General in the implementation process.

Other bills affecting housing rights:

SB937: Landlord and Tenant—Residential Leases—Prospective Tenant Criminal History Records Check (Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act); DRM Supported; Bill Passed
HB315/SB335: Human Relations—Discrimination in Housing—Income-Based Housing Subsidies; DRM Supported; Bill Passed
HB774/SB462: Landlord and Tenant—Residential Leases and Holdover Tenancies—Local Good Cause Termination (Good Cause Eviction); DRM Supported; Bill Did Not Pass

Thank You!

We would like to thank our donors whose support enabled DRM to advocate for people with disabilities throughout the 2026 legislative session. If you are passionate about advancing the rights of people with disabilities in Maryland and able to give, please consider making a generous contribution to support our work.

Young man with short brown hair smiling at camera wearing black glasses and a red tshirt

Charting the Life Course Workshop

Posted on May 13, 2026

DRM is hosting a workshop helping student beneficiaries of Social Security age 14-21 and their parents problem-solve and build a plan for specific goals around employment.

We will use the Charting the LifeCourse framework to help students, and their parents develop their vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do to prepare for future employment, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live.

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 9am – 3pm

Location: Disability Rights Maryland, First Floor Conference Rooms, 1500 Union Ave # 2000, Baltimore, Maryland 21211

DRM Statement about Snow and Ice in Travel Paths

Posted on January 30, 2026

DRM Statement, January 29, 2026

We recognize that this storm has created serious challenges, and that extremely cold temperatures and repeated freeze–thaw cycles make snow and ice removal more difficult. We appreciate the actions Baltimore City and Maryland are taking and their efforts to communicate with residents. At the same time, more must be done to ensure that people with disabilities are not left without access to transportation, medical care, work and their communities.

When sidewalks, curb cuts, and bus stop boarding areas are not fully cleared of snow and ice, people with disabilities can be effectively cut off from public transit and daily life, even after roads become passable. For wheelchair users, people who use walkers or canes, and many other people with disabilities, a single blocked curb ramp can make an entire trip impossible. In situations like these, we routinely hear that people miss medical appointments, cannot get to work, or are forced to remain at home days after a storm because the pedestrian network is only partially cleared. When sidewalks are impassable, people are often forced into the street to get around snowbanks or ice, creating serious and predictable safety risks.

These impacts are compounded during prolonged cold snaps like the one Maryland is experiencing now, where hardened snow and refreezing turn untreated areas into sheets of ice. In these conditions, accessibility barriers are not just inconvenient; they are dangerous and exclusionary.

These issues are also not new. Baltimore has a history of inaccessible sidewalks and curb ramps. The City is operating under the Goodlaxson1 partial consent decree. Under the ADA and the Goodlaxson consent decree, Baltimore has an obligation not only to build accessible sidewalks and curb ramps, but to maintain them in a condition that people with disabilities can actually use. The decree also mandates an annual public initiative to educate the public on the need for timely removal of snow and other debris from curb ramps and pedestrian walkways that provide access to bus stops and public transportation stations.

Maintenance also means clearing sidewalks to a fully usable path width, not just a narrow trench. After snowstorms, sidewalks are often cleared only to a narrow, shovel-width path. While well-intentioned, this does not accommodate wheelchair users, people with walkers or other mobility devices, or others who need space and stability to move safely. For many, including people with visual disabilities, these narrow and uneven paths can be disorienting and hazardous. A path that narrow is functionally unusable and can be just as exclusionary as no clearing at all.

In Baltimore City, residential and commercial property owners are legally required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks within three hours after a snowfall ends, or by 11:00 a.m. if snowfall stops between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. While enforcement may vary during extreme conditions, these requirements exist because sidewalks are part of the public pedestrian network and must remain accessible to everyone. The Baltimore Snow Corps pilot program reflects an important recognition that older adults, people with disabilities, and others may need assistance clearing sidewalks.

These conditions also directly affect people who rely on paratransit services, who must be able to safely access the vehicle. When sidewalks are icy, narrowed, or blocked, people may be unable to reach the pickup point, board the vehicle safely, or navigate from the drop-off location to their destination. The result is that people may lose access to essential services, not necessarily because the service is unavailable, but because the surrounding pedestrian environment makes it unusable.

For many riders with disabilities, buses running does not mean transit is usable if sidewalks, curb ramps, and bus stops remain blocked or unsafe. Without clear and accessible paths to reach buses, people remain effectively cut off from transportation and community access even as service resumes.

If roads reopen but sidewalks, curb ramps, bus stops, and pedestrian routes remain blocked or constricted, transportation and community access are “open” in name only for people with disabilities. True recovery from a storm requires clearing the full accessible travel path so that people with disabilities can safely move through the city and maintain access to care, work, and community life on the same timeline as everyone else.

Gabriel Rubinstein

Managing Attorney

Disability Rights Maryland

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