Alternative Transportation Systems

ATS VEHICLE PROCUREMENT GUIDE

The purpose of the ATS Vehicle Procurement Guide is to lead national parks through the process of choosing and procuring vehicles for Alternative Transportation Systems (ATS). It does so by explaining each of the necessary steps, asking questions that will lead to more thoughtful decision making, and providing links to information and forms that are needed for the procurement process. Although most of the information contained herein can be found elsewhere, this guide is the only resource that brings all the relevant information together in one place.

ATS– VEHICLES AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDE

ATS - Vehicles and Supporting Infrastructure Guide serves a guide to the basic concepts involved and issues to be addressed by National Park Service (NPS) staff in the of acquisition of vehicles, supporting infrastructure, as well as information on the need for maintenance facilities and specialized staff to operate and maintain transportation system to serve visitors to national parks, recreation areas, historic sites, and monuments. It identifies engineering principles and practices, codes and standards, and lessons learned that are applicable to the NPS. It contains numerous references to other publications and electronic links to websites for more in depth information

TRANSIT VEHICLES FOR NATIONAL PARKS: SELECTION FACTORS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Increasingly, national parks are purchasing and operating buses and other alternative transportation vehicles to transport visitors to and from or within park boundaries. This primer addresses fundamental considerations for evaluating and choosing buses, including: vehicle technologies, vehicle types, fuels, infrastructure and associated costs. These should not be viewed as independent topics, but as parts of a system in which each part may be affected by, and may affect, the other parts. Alternative transportation systems will be unique based on the differences and the particular needs of individual parks. Therefore, rather than provide extensive details about specific parks, the sections herein outline basic system considerations that should be investigated further in relation to the specific conditions at a given park.

GUIDE FOR ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

All transportation facilities, and services must be provided in such a way that all individuals with disabilities can access the system and can receive the benefits of any informational services provided. The NPS Guide for Accessible Transportation Systems assists in meeting accessibility standards for transportation and its corresponding infrastructure. This guide includes a fact sheet, technical provisions for transportation services, training of staff, sources and images.

FEDERAL LANDS ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS STUDY

The 3039 Federal Lands ATS Study documents the alternative transportation system needs in lands managed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The report includes a summary of alternative transportation system needs and estimated costs between 2001 and 2020. The alternative transportation system needs are categorized by agency, State, transit mode, system status and type of expenditure. The report describes issues that can be addressed through transit implementation and the potential economic impacts of these transit systems. The report also identifies several Federal program structure options that could provide the Federal land management agencies with a source of funding to assist in implementing transit systems on Federal lands.