Transportation Trivia packs them in as Shoup-inspired team takes top prize

Transportation leaders and bright minds from around the region convened at the Lagunitas Community Room on Thursday night for the latest rendition of the Community Cycling Center and Oregon Walks’ Transportation Trivia event. It was an overflow crowd and for the first time in the event’s history, all tickets were sold out before the festivities even began.

As trivia day approached, the competitive tension was palpable, with the defending champions taking to social media to declare their intent to repeat their last performance. “We’ll bring the trophy so you can all have a look at it, but it’ll still be ours at the end of the night,” a member of 5 Wheels to the Wind posted hours before the event. This was, of course, all in jest as this is a friendly competition that benefits the work of the Community Cycling Center to broaden access to bicycles for people of all backgrounds and Oregon Walks to make conditions for walking safe and convenient.

(Photos below by Charles Edelson)

Competition was fierce, as emcees Hanna Davis and Noel Mickelberry kept everyone on their toes from one question to the next. Over 100 participants formed teams representing local firms and organizations like Daimler Trucks North America, Lancaster Engineering, the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Westside Transportation Alliance, and a myriad of other reputable outfits all vying for the chance to hoist the winner’s trophy.

Ultimately, the trivia gods determined there would be no repeat champion, as team You Make Me Want to Shoup took home the victory after three rounds of challenging, yet educational, trivia qustions. “It’s great to live in a town with so many people who are this passionate about transportation,” said winning team member and economist Joe Cortright (of City Observatory fame). “This is where the future of Portland’s transportation is decided.”

Of course, we have to take a moment to thank the sponsors who helped make this event possible. Lancaster Engineering, PBOT, and Portland Streetcar graciously supported the event as signature sponsors. Go Lloyd, Portlanders for Parking Reform, We Ride at Daimler, and WSP also generously supported the fun.

Sarah Iannarone, former Portland mayoral candidate and a member of You Make Me Want to Shoup, aptly capped the night: “There’s absolutely nothing we can’t do if we put the same level of energy into better and improved transportation policy as we do into winning transportation trivia.”

— Yashar Vasef, Community Cycling Center

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