TransportationCamp brings together thinkers and doers in the fields of transportation & technology.

TransportationCamp is an unconference bringing together transportation professionals, technologists, and others interested in the intersection of urban transportation and technology.

Transportation is a major metropolitan issue, with direct impacts on economic strength, environmental sustainability, and social equity. Recent advances in technology—mobile computing, open source software, open data and APIs, and spatial analysis—present an opportunity to improve mobility more immediately and at a lower cost than has ever been possible in the past.

TransportationCamp raises awareness of this opportunity and builds connections between disparate innovators in public administration, transportation operations, information design, and software engineering.

What's an "unconference?"

This is not a traditional conference. The session topics and activities are suggested by the attendees. In addition to talks and presentations from big names in transportation and technology, TransportationCamp provides an opportunity for every attendee to be a participant in shaping and leading the event. Be prepared to get involved and meet people.

Sessions may come in a variety of formats: birds-of-a-feather, lightning talks, open space technology, pecha kucha, and others.

Major themes reflect the backgrounds and interests of the participants. You'll find sessions about technology, policy issues, urban planning, and more.

History of TransportationCamp

TransportationCamp, the trailblazing transportation “unconference,” was first organized by OpenPlans with TransportationCamp East held in New York City on March 5, 2011. Hundreds of enthusiastic participants descended upon New York Law School for that first camp to engage in networking and user-generated session topics ranging from “Fixing the Great Mistake… Reducing Car Traffic in NYC by 90% in 20 Years (10?)” to “What the Hell is a Smart Street?”

Just two weeks later, OpenPlans produced TransportationCamp West in San Francisco. This two-day program was held at Public Works SF and featured dozens of sessions with intriguing topics including “TDM 2.0” and “Sexy Transit.” Generous support from the Rockefeller Foundation was critical to organizing, publicizing and staging these events.

Following on the heels of these successes, TransportationCamps have been organized in cities across North America: Montreal, Washington, Atlanta and Boston.

The visionary team at OpenPlans has created a great model for transportation professionals, students and aficionados to engage ideas and brainstorm one of mankind’s most enduring challenges: mobility.

In October 2014, OpenPlans passed the baton to Mobility Lab to continue the tradition of TransportationCamp in Washington, DC, and to help facilitate events in other regions. Each region's event is organized separately by dedicated individuals and organizations. Mobility Lab maintains the web site, the @transpocamp Twitter account, and the main mailing list.

In October 2019, Mobility Lab stepped back from its caretaker role. The DC event was taken over by Transportation for America.

Keep in touch

Follow us at @transpocamp. The central mailing list has been inactivated. There is a TransportationCamp LinkedIn group. TransportationCamp organizers should request to join transportationcamp.slack.com.

 

How TransportationCamp works: the essential guide