The TCPHL24 team is pleased to be hosting our fourth-annual Summer Gathering event on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Initially formed as an extension of our 2021 virtual conference to offer a safe, outdoor in-person experience, the event was such a blast, we’ve been keeping it going as a standalone event… even as we’ve returned to an in-person conference!
As with years past, the event will feature a day of urban exploration with fellow TransportationCamp participants, concluding with a happy hour in the afternoon. What’s it like? Check out photos from 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The event is open to recent and former attendees of TransportationCamp PHL, other TransportationCamp conferences, APTAtech attendees & affiliates, members of YPT chapters from Philadelphia and beyond, and their friends and family. (Yes, we’re family-friendly, and have had some families join!)
Are you a local or looking to make a long weekend out of it? Our event is designed to help you make the most out of your time in the Philadelphia region… particularly if you’re coming to Philadelphia for the very first time.
We’re ecstatic to be seeing you in-person and hopefully connect with others throughout the region and beyond. Let the summer fun commence!
Tickets are complimentary; there is no charge to participate, although food, transportation, and admission to any activities (e.g. museums, events, sports) are not included.
The day begins at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, the city’s beautiful primary rail terminal with connecting service throughout the region and beyond.
Service is available on all SEPTA Regional Rail lines, all Trolley lines, the Market-Frankford line, countless bus routes, Amtrak Acela/Regional/Keystone/Long-Distance service, OurBus, NJ Transit’s Atlantic City Line, and more.
As usual, Philadelphia makes for a great day trip from New York, Washington, Baltimore, and beyond.
Suggested Trips on 8/3:
- Amtrak Regional 164 (arriving 11:07am) from Baltimore, Washington (DC), & Richmond
- Amtrak Keystone 664 (arriving 11:05am) from Lancaster & Harrisburg
- Amtrak Keystone 663 (arriving 10:34am) from New York
- Amtrak Regional 155 (arriving 10:35am) from New York
- Amtrak Regional 143 (arriving 11:12am) from Springfield (MA), Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, & New York; and connecting with Empire 250 from Poughkeepsie & Albany
- Amtrak Acela 2249 (arriving 11:15am) from New York, Stamford, New Haven, Providence, & Boston
At 11:30am, we will kickoff the fourth-annual TransportationCamp PHL Exploration Challenge! The unique choose-your-own-adventure format encourages attendees to meet new people in small groups of around 5 (+/- 2), explore the city’s transportation highlights, and see some of Philadelphia’s best attractions.
Groups will form at 11:30am, so if you’re coming by yourself or a couple, you’ll be able to meet other attendees before the challenge commences and set out on your exploration with others. Feel free to invite your significant other, family, and friends.
Participants will be provided a map of key locations in the Philadelphia region — both transit-related and not — and an associated “point value,” earned by posting a photo of the entire team at their designated location to a designated channel on the TransportationCamp PHL Slack. Teams may also opt to collect combinations of places for additional bonus points. Winning teams earn prizes and/or cash!
Examples:
| Highlight | Points |
|---|---|
| Riding every SEPTA mode | TBD |
| Using a IndeGo bike | TBD |
| Getting lunch at Reading Terminal Market | TBD |
| Visiting the 69th Street Terminal | TBD |
| Visiting the Ben Franklin Bridge walkway | TBD |
Think of it like a scavenger hunt where YOU retain control your destinations, route, and itinerary. Those who want to spend most of their time talking with others are encouraged to do so while visiting the transit highlights on the map, whereas those new to Philadelphia are also encouraged to explore all that the region has to offer. Whatever you’re looking to do, our map is sure to give you inspiration to make the most of the challenge. Attended in the past? Be prepared for different locations, new point values, and additional point challenges!
The challenge will conclude at 3:30pm, followed by the Afternoon Gathering at Cira Green — a unique elevated urban park located one block from 30th Street Station — or a similar location TBA. Snacks and beverages are available at Sunset Social in the park.
This will be a time to discuss the things you saw, transportation developments in to Philadelphia and beyond, and to connect with likeminded individuals.
We’ll also use that time to recognize our winners and distribute prizes.
Are you local or making a weekend trip? After the event concludes, there’s tons of great ways to extend the fun. Coordinate plans with other attendees in the event slack’s #2024-summer-weekend channel.
Continue exploring the Philadelphia region with other newfound friends, including other sights on the map you didn’t get to visit, or explore beyond the region (such as going “down the shore” at “America’s Playground” of Atlantic City, waking up to miles of gorgeous beaches along the boardwalk).
And, stay tuned for related events associated with the American Public Transit Association’s annual Technology & Revenue Collection conference: APTAtech, hosted in Philadelphia 8/4-8/7.
Make sure you’re up to date by following us on Twitter @TranspoCampPHL, liking us on Facebook, joining our LinkedIn group, and by subscribing to our MailChimp email updates. And, keep the conversation going! Tag your tweets, instagram photos, and more with the official event hashtag: #TCPHLSummer24.
Most importantly, stay tuned to the TCPHL Slack site where we’ll announce additional details and coordinate day-of logistics. New attendees will receive the slack invite after registering; previous attendees should verify their slack notifications remain enabled.
Want to make sure you don’t miss a thing? We encourage you to subscribe to our mailing list:
TransportationCamp PHL is organized thanks to a collaborative effort between YPT, WTS, and Drexel University. Passionate about transportation and bringing the conference to Philadelphia, the conference’s co-chairs span a diverse array of subsets in the industry with professional experience in both public and private transportation operations, transportation planning, and logistics consulting. For additional breadth, the conference has a larger working group whose collective knowledge and expertise spans all facets of the industry and includes all levels of transportation involvement (ranging from career professionals to engaged hobbyists).