Almost 20 workers from Transportation for America and Good Development America attended TransportationCamp DC. Whereas it’s onerous to grasp simply how particular TCamp is except you’ve been there, a few of these reflections from workers may help paint the image.
Particular because of our underwriting sponsor, Arnold Ventures, and our native sponsors, Coalition for Smarter Development and Larger Larger Washington, for making the day potential.
For our full recap of TransportationCamp DC, learn this weblog.
On TCamp being probably the most optimistic, forward-looking transportation gathering:
“Regardless of the headwinds that transit and multimodal transportation have confronted this previous yr, attendees didn’t hesitate to deliver ahead numerous new and revolutionary concepts for classes about methods to make transportation work higher sooner or later.” – Corrigan Salerno, Coverage Supervisor, Transportation for America
“This was my second TransportationCamp. Our world has modified considerably because the first one I attended in 2024, however the place you may anticipate of us to be discouraged by the numerous obstacles to creating equitable and wholesome communities, the alternative was felt. Everybody at TCamp this yr appeared not discouraged by the obstacles we’re going through, however as an alternative introduced much more power and dedication. Anybody who attended TransportationCamp left feeling empowered to go do the essential work of making techniques that work for everybody.” – Coutney Cole, Program Affiliate, Thriving Communities, Good Development America
“This was my first time at TransportationCamp. The factor that shocked me most was the enjoyable and pleasure! Regardless of the rain, early begin time, and heavy subjects, individuals appeared genuinely blissful and excited to be collectively.” – Dustin Robertson, Program Supervisor, Thriving Communities, Good Development America
“This was my first TCamp, and you actually need to be there to grasp and admire the concept of an “unconference”. Seeing so many transit fanatics and advocates come collectively on Saturday to pitch their classes and enthusiastically focus on and educate feels so communal. I cherished how inventive every particular person interval and workshops have been, it offers me hope and retains the momentum happening transit advocacy, which all the time looks like an uphill battle.” – Elisa Ramirez, Coverage & Outreach Affiliate, Transportation for America
On TCamp bringing individuals collectively, and the way new voices helped set the tone:
“My favourite session at TCamp was led by two highschool college students who reviewed what makes transit work effectively, how it’s working within the Washington, DC space, and the way we may enhance it. What impressed me was how two younger individuals, untrained in transportation and concrete planning, have been capable of focus on what makes transit work and achieve this in a far more linked to the outcomes we search than professionals do. In addition they pushed the remainder of the attendees, most of whom have been transportation professionals, to assume larger.” – Beth Osborne, President and CEO, Good Development America
“There’s all the time been a sense at TCamp that it’s predominantly filled with “regulars,” a good crew of people that know what TCamp is and attend virtually yearly. And whereas that will have been the case in years previous, one in every of my favourite issues about this yr’s camp was simply what number of first-timers we had. Within the morning, whereas going by directions for the day, I requested everybody within the auditorium to boost their palms if this was their first TCamp. And it felt like at the very least 60 p.c of the room raised their palms! That not solely shocked me, however I discovered it very encouraging, as a result of bringing in new individuals and new voices is exactly on the coronary heart of what TCamp is all about.” – Steve Davis, Interim Director, Transportation for America
“The perfect factor about Transportation Camp DC is the spontaneity and sense of enjoyable that every one the attendees deliver with them. We had what gave the impression to be a file variety of new attendees, and with it, new concepts for classes. Regardless of the headwinds that transit and multimodal transportation have confronted this yr, attendees didn’t hesitate to deliver ahead numerous new and revolutionary concepts for classes about methods to make transportation work higher sooner or later. Main a session at TCamp is a superb alternative to share your ideas, work, gripes, and creativity in a enjoyable, low-stakes setting with others captivated with higher transportation.” – Corrigan Salerno, Coverage Supervisor, Transportation for America
On some standout classes at TCamp:
“My favourite session of TransportationCamp was a session on jargon. As an attendee earlier than I received my job at T4America, I bear in mind being overwhelmed by the extreme use of acronyms by attendees. Now that I’m on the opposite facet of issues, it was nice to have a reminder that avoiding jargon just isn’t dumbing issues down…it’s speaking clearly. The session consisted of individuals explaining their jobs. The host honked a clown horn each time a contestant used an acronym or an industry-specific time period with out rationalization. Because the session went on, individuals received higher at explaining the specifics of their jobs with out falling again on their traditional speech patterns. I might actually take pleasure in it if most transportation professionals needed to do one thing like this each few months.” – Jaibin Mathew, Coverage Affiliate, Transportation for America
“helped lead a debate about this essential query: Is the idea of Full Streets nonetheless helpful, or has it run its course? It was an ideal dialog amongst a various group of transportation professionals, followers, and nerds from throughout the nation. The dialog was severe (based mostly on years of expertise and information), enjoyable (the phrase “horny” was used at the very least 4 occasions), and inspirational (as we thought collectively about what the way forward for transportation can and will appear to be).” – Dustin Robertson, Program Supervisor, Thriving Communities, Good Development America
“I’m keen on the workshop that Raveena John (SGA Senior Program Affiliate, Thriving Communities) and I hosted. We offered maps of streets in Tennessee, Texas, and Florida, and provided teams with markers and cut-outs of bus stops, benches, bushes, and parks. Teams would then design inexperienced and full streets, and we obtained a lot constructive suggestions! “I really feel like a child once more” was my favourite remark. It’s superior to get inventive juices flowing and to think about how we are able to enhance our streets just by just a few design decisions.” – Elisa Ramirez, Coverage & Outreach Affiliate, Transportation for America
