YPT Chicago – Chicago River Day Cleanup

Saturday, May 9th, 2026

YPT Chicago was proud to participate in the Friends of the Chicago River Chicago River Day, joining volunteers and community members at the Eleanor Street Boathouse to support cleanup and restoration efforts throughout the Chicago-Calumet River system.

Participants spent the day helping improve and protect one of the region’s most important natural resources while connecting with fellow transportation and environmental advocates. Events like Chicago River Day highlight the important role that community stewardship plays in creating healthier, more sustainable places to live, work, and travel.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make the event a success! Following the cleanup, participants enjoyed a community bike ride and an opportunity to continue the conversation at Marz Community Brewing Co. We appreciate everyone who joined us and look forward to seeing you at future volunteer events and community outings!

YPT Chicago Transportation Trivia Night

Thursday, April 30th, 2026

YPT Chicago welcomed more than 50 transportation enthusiasts to our annual Transportation Trivia Night, making it one of the chapter’s largest and most energetic events in recent years. Attendees gathered for an evening of friendly competition, networking, and transportation-themed trivia that challenged participants on topics ranging from CTA and Metra stations to railroad history, aviation, and more.

Quizmaster Scott Presslak, PTP kept the momentum rolling throughout the evening, guiding teams through a wide variety of questions that tested both local knowledge and transportation expertise. The event provided a fun opportunity for professionals, students, and transit fans alike to connect while celebrating their shared passion for transportation.

A special thank you to Pilot Project Brewing for hosting us and to Transit Tees for generously sponsoring prizes for our winning teams. We appreciate everyone who joined us and helped make the event such a success, and we look forward to seeing you at the next YPT Chicago event!

YPT Chicago Brown Bag Series #3: CTA Ridership Reporting

Wednesday, April 29th, 2026

YPT Chicago hosted our third Brown Bag webinar of the year, featuring an engaging discussion on transit ridership reporting and the methodologies used to estimate CTA ridership. Attendees had the opportunity to gain insight into the data collection and analysis processes that support transit planning and operations, while participating in a thoughtful conversation about the role of ridership data in decision-making.

Special thanks to Scott Wainwright and Kevin Matthew Li of the CTA for sharing their expertise and providing an inside look at the complexities behind ridership reporting. The discussion highlighted how accurate ridership data informs service planning, supports regulatory compliance, and contributes to rider safety and security. Participants also gained a deeper appreciation for the extensive analysis behind the numbers and the ways data-driven decisions ultimately shape the rider experience. We appreciate everyone who joined us and look forward to continuing these important conversations throughout the year!

YPT Chicago 2026 Brown Bag Series #2: Bus Priority

Thursday, March 26th, 2026

YPT Chicago hosted an engaging Brown Bag webinar focused on Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (ABRT) and Chicago’s Better Streets for Buses program. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about these initiatives and participate in a thoughtful discussion on the future of bus mobility and street design.

Special thanks to Greta Kurtz of Metro Transit and Jason Wald of the CTA for sharing their insights. The conversation highlighted the importance of strong interagency partnerships, early and consistent public outreach, and the role of political support in advancing transit projects. We look forward to seeing how these efforts continue to shape the future of bus travel across the region!

YPT Chicago 2026 GIS Reception Happy Hour

Monday, March 16th, 2026

Thank you to everyone who joined YPT Chicago for our GIS Symposium happy hour and reception at VU Rooftop on Monday! It was great to see such a strong turnout of both members from YPT Chicago and other chapters across the country, as well as attendees from the 2026 AASHTO GIS for Transportation Symposium. We were especially honored to be joined by leadership from AASHTO, including remarks from Anna McLaughlin.

The evening highlighted the strong connection between YPT and the broader transportation community, as well as the value of partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for young professionals to engage with leaders in the field. We look forward to continuing these collaborations and hosting future events that connect local and national networks.

YPT Chicago 2026 February Happy Hour

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

YPT Chicago hosted a dynamic February Happy Hour featuring David Powe and Sean Madison, who led an engaging discussion on Divvy and the future of micromobility in Chicago. The event also introduced our new Mini Presentation Happy Hour format, blending casual networking with focused insights from transportation leaders shaping the region.

The conversation highlighted the continued growth of Divvy as part of Chicago’s expanding micromobility ecosystem, including system expansion, increased ridership, and ongoing efforts to improve equity, pricing, and reliability. A key theme of the evening emphasized that strong systems can balance both efficiency and equity. We look forward to continuing this mini presentation series and creating more opportunities for young professionals to connect with leaders driving innovation in transportation!

YPT Chicago 2026 Brown Bag Series #1: Smart Streets Pilot Program

Thursday, January 15th, 2026

We had a great start to our Brown Bag webinar series with an engaging session on the Chicago Smart Streets Pilot Program.

A big thank you to our speakers from CDOT and CTA, Angela Ng, Cara Bader, Liam Purkey, and Raquel Corchado for sharing their insights and connecting with our members. We enjoyed diving into the program and the thoughtful discussion on enhancing street safety across Chicago. Follow our speakers on LinkedIn and learn more about the Smart Streets Pilot Program on the City of Chicago’s website.