Alternative Transportation

Alternative transportation is all modes of travel other than the private motor vehicle.

Alternative transportation systems connect communities to parks, help manage congestion and ease parking shortages for areas at or nearing capacity. Alternative transportation can also contribute to improving air quality, soundscapes and reduce wildlife/auto collisions. The National Park Service (NPS) aims to be a leader in using alternative transportation to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to alternative transportation, the NPS is exploring how technology can enhance all forms of transportation in parks. Over the past decade, the NPS has increasingly explored the use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to address access, congestion, and environmental problems which risk tarnishing the visitor experience and damaging environmental resources.

National Park Service National Transit Inventory and Performance Report

Annually, the NPS conducts a transit inventory and measure performance to:

1. Identify NPS transit systems nationwide;
2. Track the operational performance of each system; and
3. Inventory NPS and non-NPS owned transit vehicles and collect detailed vehicle information.

The 2022 National Transit Inventory Report is the latest available report. Past reports can be found in the Transportation Resource Library.

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  Pedal and Pedestrian Powered

  Bikes, Pedestrians & Multi-use Trails

  Trails connect places in a way that allows visitors to leave their cars behind. Bike shares help urban travelers navigate parks.

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  Powerful People Movers

  Buses & Shuttles

  Buses and shuttle systems help alleviate the impacts of private automobiles on your national parks and reduce congestion.

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  Tours and Transportation

  Ferries and Water-Based Transportation

  Almost 13 million passengers ride ferries in national parks each year.

Alternative Transportation Facts

In 2022, the NPS had 81 transit systems in 52 parks nationwide with 26.6 million passenger boardings.

• 60% of the transit systems involve shuttles, buses, vans, and trams

• 39% of the systems use boats and ferries

• Trains, trolleys, and aircraft represent 1% of the systems.

NPS transit systems are expanding towards pre-pandemic levels as systems are able to resume or expand operations due to lifting of COVID-19-related closures and social distancing mandates. In 2020, for example, there were 66 transit systems in 49 parks nationwide with only 11.1 million passenger boardings. An archive of National Transit Inventory reports from previous years can be found at Resource Library - Federal Lands Transportation Program (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)