PARK SHUTTLE SYSTEMS

There are 81 National Park Units supporting 110 Alternative Transportation Systems (ATS).

17 systems owned and operated by NPS

71 systems operated by an NPS concessionaire or contractor

22 systems are operated NPS Partners under a formal agreement

14 parks rely exclusively on alternative transportation as the only means of access

Systems Definition

Alternative Transportation Systems integrate all modes of travel within a park, including transit, bicycle and pedestrian linkages, and the automobile; and includes a whole range of technologies, facilities, and transportation management strategies.

Alternative Transportation Systems include:

Infrastructure:	Vehicles:
Fuel Facilities	Buses
Garages	Shuttle/Vans
Transit Stops	Trolleys
Rails	Ferries
Docks	Boats
Canals	Passenger Rail
Lighting	Trams
Utilities	Bicycles
Communication Systems	Carriages

Key Issues

• Resource impacts must be managed.
• The automobile cannot always be the primary mode of transportation.
• Visitor transit systems are not simply utilitarian in nature.
• Baseline data generally needed to make informed decisions are often not readily available.
• Transportation systems regularly transcend park boundaries.
• The park resources are the attraction, not the transportation.
• Existing infrastructure is often at or beyond capacity.
• Growing visitation requires complex, integrated transportation solutions.
• Visitors expect a consistent design standard of national parks.
• New transportations systems are not always the solution.