YPT Chicago conducts a variety of events annually aiming to provide opportunities for networking, education, and professional development. These events have included both virtual and in-person opportunities and have ranged from happy hours, panel discussions, trivia, and tours.

Virtual Speed Networking, Transportation Trivia, and a Meet the Board Happy Hour are annual events. We want to thank our partners and members for supporting and attending our events!

Transportation Hot Takes Networking Happy Hour

Tuesday, June 10th, 2025

Over 60 young professionals, students and Transport Chicago conference attendees joined YPT Chicago for a casual networking event, fueled by group deliberation and discussion of some of the hottest takes. “Hot Takes” tend to be controversial opinions about a topic, and are meant to illicit further discussion. Event attendees submitted hot takes in advance that ranged from the elimination of “Maintenance of Traffic”, to expansion of Bus Only Lanes to every bus route in Chicago and the criminalization of “BRT Creep”.
We wouldn’t be able to put on events as successful as this without our sponsors R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. and Transit Tees and Revolution Brewing. Thank you for providing the resources that allow us to continue connecting our membership, providing networking opportunities and helping to build the next leaders in transportation.

Transportation Trivia 2025

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

We can’t thank enough the 50+ Transportation Aficionados that joined YPT Chicago for our annual Transportation Trivia event! The energy in the room was at an all time high as the Chicago Chapter hosted it’s largest event in the recent history. Our Quizmaster Scott Presslak, PTP lined up the switches and took us through a gauntlet of questions that tested (and ultimately improved!) participants transit knowledge from stations, railroad history and even a bit of cartography thanks to the Dennis McClendon Memorial Round. Many of our participants learned of the only nighttime CTA Bus Service that does not have a corresponding daytime route – maybe one day they’ll find themselves as a passenger on the N5 Bus! 😉
We wouldn’t be able to put on events as successful as this without our sponsors R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. and Transit Tees. Thank you for providing the resources that allow us to continue connecting our membership, providing networking opportunities and helping to build the next leaders in transportation.

YPT Chicago 2025 Brown Bag Series #2: Transit Funding and Governance

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

The Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) Baltimore and Chicago Chapters hosted a Presentation + Q&A session with the Baltimore Red Line Project Team, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more from the MTA about their upcoming rail infrastructure.

YPT Chicago 2025 Brown Bag Series #1: Transit Funding and Governance

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

Curious about how transit in the Chicago region is funded—or what it could look like under legislation like the Metropolitan Mobility Authority (MMA) Act? YPT Chicago hosted a Presentation + Q&A session on Transit Funding and Governance Reform in Chicago, featuring Audrey Wennink (Sr. Director, Metropolitan Planning Council) and Stephen E. Schlickman (Former Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority). Attendees gained valuable insights into the region’s transit challenges and the future of mobility governance.

YPT Chicago 2025 Happy Hour Opener

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

We had an incredible start to the 2025 Chicago Chapter events season with our opening happy hour at Haymarket Pub & Brewery thanks to one of our sponsors this year, R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc.

YPT Chicago’s End Of Year Party

Tuesday, November 19th, 2024

YPT Chicago Host Student Networking (Speed Dating Style!)

Thursday, October 17th, 2024

Students and professionals across the Greater Chicago Region participated in the 2024 edition of Student Networking! It was an absolute pleasure to meet and connect with our local professionals and aspiring professionals in the Chicago region.

YPT Chicago Beer Garden Happy Hour

Tuesday, October 1st, 2024

YPT Chicago Tours Chicago Transit Authorities New Damen Green Line Station

Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

YPT Chicago joined Chicago Transit Authority team members and the stations contractor to tour the beautiful new Damen Green line station today! Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and experience some of the small touches that make this new station – the first new station in the last 7 years – so unique. Thank you to everyone that tagged along and also to Midwest Coast Brewing for hosting our post event social hour!

YPT Chicago Riverwalk Happy Hour

Wednesday, July 24th, 2024

YPT Chicago Tours Metra’s New Peterson/Ridge Station

Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

YPT Chicago led a tour of Metra’s brand new Peterson/Ridge Station! The group learned about the accessibility improvements and other physical features of the new station! Attendees of the tour learned about the history of this corridor when it was previously served by the Chicago and North Western Railway, the community areas served by this new station, as well as some unique features like arches at the station stairways on the west side of the station that are linked to one of the many Eruv setups in Chicago!

Transportation Trivia 2024

Tuesday, April 16th, 2024

YPT Chicago’s Transportation Trivia event had a sold-out showing, where YPT Chicago welcomed over 50 attendees (which included 12 new members!) YPT Chicago would like to thank Roots Pizza for hosting us, as well as our event sponsors R.M. Chin & Associates and YPT International for helping to make events like Transportation Trivia possible!

A Conversation with Tom Carney, Incoming CDOT Commissioner

Tuesday, March 5th, 2024

The Chicago chapter of Young Professionals of Transportation (YPT) along with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Student Government Association, Office of the Student Trustee and the Urban Planning and Policy Student Association (UPPSA) planned a meet-and-greet with the new Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom Carney. Commissioner Carney shared his invaluable insights and advice with our young and aspiring transportation professionals. A notable piece of advice offered by Commissioner Carney was a reminder to get outside the office, and explore the job sites! “With all the technology and resources available, don’t get stuck in the office. Get out to job sites. It is more helpful than you think to get out to a job site and meet the people impacted.”

A Meet The Board Happy Hour

Wednesday, February 21st, 2024

YPT Chicago opened the 2024 year at Carnivale for a “Meet the Board Happy Hour” where attendees were able to meet and network with incoming YPT Board Members about the upcoming event season.

A Conversation with Gia Biagi – Leading on Equitable Transportation

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

YPT Chicago, in collaboration with the Shared Use Mobility Centered (SUMC), conducted an interview with former Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi. Led by SUMC’s CEO Benjie de la Pena, the interview outlined Gia’s leadership on developing processes to quantify equity in the Chicago Region and in evaluating projects, advice on stakeholder engagement, the importance of public sector work on young professionals, and her next steps as Principle at Studio Gang.

YPT Chicago – Game Night

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

YPT-Chicago held a member’s game night to play transportation themed board and card games!

YPT Chicago Happy Hour

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Transport Chicago

Friday, June 16, 2023

The 2023 Transport Chicago Conference was held in June 2023. YPT Chicago was fortunate to participate and provide sponsorships for 10 students to attend the conference.

Annual Transportation Trivia Night

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Regularly known as the best transportation night of the year, YPT Chicago hosted our annual Transportation Trivia Night. Winners were awarded a variety of prizes!

Meet the Board Happy Hour

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Although we are thankful for all of the hard work and building blocks developed by the previous boards, YPT Chicago introduced it’s almost completely new board to members!