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.

Archives of past reports can be found here.

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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 2019, the NPS had 95 transit systems in 60 parks nationwide with 45.9 million passenger boardings.

• 58% of the transit systems involve shuttles, buses, vans, and trams

• 37% of the systems use boats and ferries

• Trains and trolleys represent 4% of the systems, and planes 1%.

Effects from Covid 19 are still being felt by NPS transit system operations and ridership as you can see from this comparison of prepandemic and postpandemic data. 

In 2021, the NPS had 62 transit systems in 43 parks nationwide with 16.2 million passenger boardings.

• 53% of the transit systems involve shuttles, buses, vans, and trams

• 40% of the systems use boats and ferries

• Trains and trolleys represent 5% of the systems, and planes 5%.