Acadia National Park
Channel Island National Park Dry Tortugas National Park
Washington Support Office
National Park Service
U.S. Department of Interior
NPS National Transit Inventory
and Performance Report, 2022
Rocky Mountain National Park
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report
Executive Summary
2022
This is a summary of the 2022 National
Park Service Transit Inventory and
Performance Report. This effort:
1. identifies NPS transit systems across the
country,
2. tracks the operational performance
(e.g., boardings) of each system, and
3. inventories NPS- and non-NPS-owned
transit vehicles and vessels and collects
detailed vehicle information.
26.6 Million
Passenger Boadings
81
Systems
Operated
52
Parks
Represented
790
Vehicles &
Vessels
*Reflects systems that operated
during the fiscal year 2022 only
Of the 81 transit systems that operated, the top 10 transit systems accounted for 82% of the
passenger boardings in 2022. The systems with over a million boardings are located at Statue of
Liberty National Monument, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Alcatraz (Golden Gate
National Park), the National Mall Area, and Yosemite National Park.
The National Park Service owns vehicle fleets for 20 systems and operated 15 of those
systems in 2022. NPS-operated systems account for 594,369 passenger boardings—about 2% of total
boardings.
Purpose
(by % of transit systems)
Mobility to or
within Park
26%
Interpr
etive
Tour 36%
Critical Access
30%
Transportation
Feature 9%
Mode
(by % of transit systems)
Train, Trolley
<1%
Ferry Boat
39%
Shuttle,
Bus, Van,
Tram 60%
Aircraft <1%
Business Model
(by % of transit systems)
Service Contract
11%
NPS Owned and
Operated 19%
Cooperative
Agreement 19%
Concession
Contract 52%
2022
Executive Summary
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report
Executive Summary
F
E
45% of NPS-owned transit
vehicles operate on alternative
fuel, while 19% of non-NPS-owned
vehicles operate on alternative fuel.
81 NPS transit systems operated in fiscal year 2022.
Of those, 53 operated for six months or more and of
those, 26 operated year-round.
Passenger Boardings by Park
1 - 1,000
1,001 - 350,000
350,001 - 750,000
750,001 - 1,500,000
1,500,001 - 5,000,000
Performance Measures
Visitor Experience
The majority of the NPS-owned transit system vehicles and vessels are accessible for people
with mobility impairments. In 2022, 59% of NPS-owned vehicles are accessible to people with
mobility impairments (e.g., require a wheelchair lift).
Operations
The National Park Service partners with the private sector to provide the majority of transit
services. Non-NPS entities operate 76% of NPS transit systems, which account for 98% of
passenger boardings servicewide. The National Park Service owns and operates the remaining
24% of transit systems, which account for the remaining 2% of passenger boardings.
Environmental Impact
National Park Service transit systems mitigate vehicle emissions. The net CO
2
emissions savings
of the 820 transit vehicles and vessels evaluated (excluding planes, rail, snowcoaches, and vehicles
with incomplete data or that did not operate) was equivalent to removing 10.2 million personal
vehicle trips and 618 million passenger vehicle miles from the road.
Asset Management
National Park Service-owned vehicles and vessels have an estimated $151 million in
recapitalization needs between 2023 and 2032. Parks with estimated transit vehicle replacement
costs over $5 million during the next five years include Acadia National Park, Grand Canyon
National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Isle Royale National Park, and Yosemite
National Park.
States
PB2019
0-1000
1001-350000
350001
750001
1500001-10000000
0
States
PB2019
0-1000
1001-350000
350001
750001
1500001-10000000
0
States
PB2019
0-1000
1001-350000
350001
750001
1500001-10000000
0
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 iv
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NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 v
Table of Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Data Collection and Methodology .............................................................................................
2
Inventory Results ...............................................................................................................................
3
System Characteristics .................................................................................................................
4
Passenger Boardings ...................................................................................................................
8
Vehicles and Vessels ..................................................................................................................
12
Performance Measures ...................................................................................................................
16
Visitor Experience ......................................................................................................................
16
Operations ................................................................................................
.................................18
Environmental Impact ...............................................................................................................
23
Asset Management ...................................................................................................................
25
Next Steps ................................................................................................
........................................ 27
Appendixes ................................................................................................
...................................... 30
Appendix A – A
cknowledgments .............................................................................................30
Appendix B – Nat
ional Park Service Alternative Transportation Program Goals and
Objectives ............................................................................................................................31
Appendix C – D
efinition of Transit ..........................................................................................33
Appendix D – 202
2 NPS National Inventory System List .........................................................37
Appendix E – C
hange in Vehicle Types ....................................................................................43
Appendix F – V
ehicle Replacement Assumptions ...................................................................44
Appendix G – A
ir Quality and Emissions .................................................................................50
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 vi
List of Figures
Figure 1: Systems by primary purpose .............................................................................................. 5
Figure 2: Systems by vehicle mode ...................................................................................................
6
Figure 3: Fleet system ownership by business model ......................................................................
8
Figure 4: Passenger boardings by NPS region ................................................................................
10
Figure 5: Passenger boardings by mode ........................................................................................
11
Figure 6: Passenger boarding
s by business model.........................................................................12
Figure 7: Number of vehicles by fuel type .....................................................................................
13
Figure 8: All vehicles by age class (years) .......................................................................................
15
Figure 9: Accessibility of NPS-o
wned transit vehicles (entire fleet) .............................................18
Figure 10: Percent change in boardings from 2018 to 2022 .........................................................
19
Figure 11: Distribution of service duration by number of months ..............................................
20
Figure 12: Year-t
o-year comparison of reported accidents ..........................................................22
Figure 13: Annual CO
2
emissions ....................................................................................................24
Figure 14: Vehicle trips (in millions) avoided because of NPS transit systems.............................
53
Figure 15: Carbon dioxide emissions avoided (in metric tons) per regions ................................
.54
Figure 16: NPS transit system carbon dioxide emissions ...............................................................
56
Figure 17: NPS transit system nitrogen oxide emissions ...............................................................
57
Figure 18: NPS transit system volatile organic compound emissions ...........................................
58
Figure 19: NPS transit system carbon monoxide emissions...........................................................
59
Figure 20: NPS transit system PM
2.5
emissions ................................................................................60
Figure 21: NPS transit system PM
10
emissions ................................................................................61
List of Tables
Table 1: NPS transit systems changes between inventories (2018 to 2022) ................................... 3
Table 2: Systems by primary purpose ...............................................................................................
7
Table 3: Count methodology ............................................................................................................
9
Table 4: Passenger boardings for the 10 highest-u
se transit systems ............................................ 9
Table 5: Number of vehicles that operated in 2022 by fuel type .................................................
14
Table 6: Vehicle ow
nership by age class ........................................................................................14
Table 7: Comparison of systems and boardings from 2018 to 2022 ............................................
19
Table 8: Response to saf
ety and operational questions ...............................................................22
Table 9: Comparison of emission results ........................................................................................
23
Table 10: Distribution of miles and CO
2
emissions by vehicle ownership ....................................24
Table 11: Vehicle age for NPS transit vehicle types .......................................................................
26
Table 12: Recategorization of vehicle types ..................................................................................43
Table 13: Summary of vehicles on public lands .............................................................................
46
Table 14: Vehicle replacement costs (in 2021 dollars) and expected life for nonelectric
v
ehicles .............................................................................................................................................47
Table 15: Vehicle replacement costs (in 2021 dollars) and expected life for electric vehicles ...
48
Table 16: Recapitalization totals by year .......................................................................................
49
Table 17: Total transit system vehicle miles traveled and ferry hours by region ........................
52
Table 18: Diverted passenger trips and CO
2
emissions avoided ...................................................54
Table 19: Comparison of emission results ......................................................................................
55
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 vii
Cover Photos:
Island Explorer, Acadia National Park. Photo: NPS (upper)
Island Packers, Channel Islands National Park. Photo: NPS (lower left)
Dry Tortugas Ferry, Dry Tortugas National Park. Photo: NPS (lower right)
Executive Summary Photo:
Visitor Shuttle, Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo: NPS
As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has the responsibility for most of our
nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources;
protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our parks and
historic places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy
and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging
stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for American Indian
reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.
909-188262 / F6335 / May 2023
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 viii
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NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 1
Introduction
The 2022 National Park Service (NPS) Transit Inventory and Performance Report communicates
the servicewide outcomes and status of NPS transit systems. This comprehensive listing has
been compiled annually in this format since 2012 and covers surface, waterborne, and airborne
systems. The inventory establishes a working definition of NPS transit systems for the purpose
of this document; helps the National Park Service comply with 23 United States Code (USC)
203(c),
1
which requires “a comprehensive national inventory of public Federal lands
transportation facilities”; and fulfills other internal needs.
The 2022 inventory is meant to assist the National Park Service with the following:
Measure NPS transit performance.
Capture asset management and operational information not tracked in current NPS
systems of record.
Integrate transit data with NPS systems of record, including asset management data in
the Financial and Business Management System for NPS-owned vehicles.
Inform the National Long Range Transportation Plan, regional long-range transportation
plans, and the Annual Accomplishments Report by providing key transit statistics, which
can also be used to track progress towards goals.
Comply with Executive Order 14057, “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and
Jobs Through Federal Sustainability,” with a goal of 100% zero-emission vehicle
acquisitions by 2035.
Communicate program information and projected vehicle recapitalization needs.
1
23 USC 203 Federal Lands Transportation Program: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2014-title23/pdf/USCODE-2014-
title23-chap2-sec203.pdf.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 2
Data Collection and Methodology
Each year, the same definition of NPS transit systems is used to ensure consistent data collection
across the nation and over time. Only parks with systems that meet each of the following three
criteria listed below are included in this effort (see appendix C for more information).
1. The NPS transit systems move people by motorized vehicle on a regularly scheduled
service.
2
2. Th
e NPS transit systems operate under one of the following business models:
concessions contract; service contract; partner agreement, including memorandum of
understanding, memorandum of agreement, or cooperative agreement (commercial use
agreements are not included); or is NPS-owned and operated.
3
3. All routes and services at a given park that are operated under the same business model
by the same operator are considered a single NPS transit system.
The 2022 NPS transit inventory is limited to systems in which the National Park Service has
either a direct financial stake or committed resources to develop a formal contract or
agreement.
The following information was collected for the 2022 fiscal year:
transit system name and description
passenger boardings
business model
system purpose
system type/mode
system level safety metrics (accident occurrence and property damage)
vehicle information including fuel type, capacity, service miles, engines, horsepower,
accessibility, and age
owner and operator type (National Park Service or non-National Park Service) and
contact information
operating schedule
2
This criterion includes services with a posted schedule and standard operating seasons/days of week/hours. Services that do not
operate on a fixed route—charter services for individual groups or services that exist for the sole purpose of providing access to
persons with disabilities—are not included.
3
This report does not distinguish between a memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement, or cooperative
agreement. All are recorded as “cooperative agreement.”
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 3
participation of a local transit agency in the service
operational status (operated, did not operate)
4
Fo
r the 2022 inventory, 63 parks provided information on their transit systems. Some parks
report incomplete information because they do not track the requested service information or
they could not provide the information before the end of the data collection period. For the
purposes of this report, 81 of 101 identified transit systems operated in fiscal year 2022.
Nonoperating transit systems and associated vehicles have not been included unless specifically
stated.
Appendix D includes a full list of surveyed transit systems by region.
Inventory Results
Detailed findings of the 2022 inventory are presented in the Vehicle Inventory Statistics, System
Characteristics, and Passenger Boardings sections below.
Table 1 summarizes the differences in key results of the NPS transit inventories over the last five
years.
Table 1: NPS transit systems changes between inventories (2018 to 2022)
Note: NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2018–2022 NPS transit inventory data
Key Findings 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total Number of Systems
• Number of Systems that Operated
95
95
95
95
96
66
97
63
101
81
Number of Parks Represented 60 60 49 62 63
Passenger Boardings (millions)
• Excluding 10 Highest Ridership Systems
42.1
7.0
45.9
7.1
11.1
1.1
16.2
2.3
26.6
4.7
Number of Vehicles
• NPS-Owned Vehicles
• NPS-Owned Vehicles that Operated
• Non-NPS Vehicles
• Non-NPS Vehicles that Operated
976
281
695
835
236
599
673
149
524
865
269
215
596
508
874
274
244
600
546
Systems Operated by Local Transit Agency 9 9 3 5 5
5
4
Systems that did not operate but intend to operate in the future remained part of the inventory.
5
The DC Circulator, Giant Forest Shuttle, Fairfax Connections Wolf Trap Express, Hiker Shuttle (Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area), and Shuttle Transport (Harper’s Ferry) are the five systems that were operated by a local transit authority.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 4
The Ford Island Bus Tour at Pearl Harbor National Memorial and Full Circle Trolley at Marsh-
Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park are the two systems added in 2022.
6
Additionally,
four systems returned to the inventory and two systems are no longer operating. In the NPS
2022 inventory, there are a total of 101 systems: 81 operated in some capacity, and 20 systems
did not operate. Nonoperational systems listed the COVID-19 pandemic, driver availability,
permitting, and other issues as the reasons they did not operate.
Passenger boardings increased by 10.5 million (39%), reflecting increased transit system
operations, visitation, and public use of transit systems. Visitation across the national park
system increased 5%; 312 million recreation visits were recorded in 2022 compared to 297
million recreation visits in 2021.
7
The increase in boardings indicates that visitors are less likely
to self-isolate because of COVID-19 and are returning to transit system use, if available.
System Characteristics
The 2022 inventory identified 81 operating systems in 52 parks. Figures 1 and 2 place these
systems in the context of the primary system purpose, mode, and business model. Results for
system characteristics in 2022 are similar to the results reported in 2021.
System Purpose
Park staff categorized each of their transit systems into one of the five following primary
purposes (figure 1):
29 systems are guided interpretive tours.
24 systems provide critical access to an NPS park or site that is not readily accessible to
the public due to geographic constraints, park resource management decisions, or
parking lot congestion.
21 systems provide mobility to or within a park as a supplement to private automobile
access.
7 systems are considered a transportation feature (a primary attraction of the park).
None of the systems that operated are primarily designed to meet the accessibility needs
of a visitor with special needs.
6
The four systems that returned to the inventory include: Concession Shuttle (North Cascades National Park), Ferry Service (Dry
Tortugas National Park, Fort Pickens Tram Service (Gulf Island National Seashore); systems no longer operating: Ajo Mountain
Drive Tour (Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument) and Roosevelt Ride (Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site).
7
In 2022, the National Park Service received 312 million recreation visits, up 15 million visits (5%) from 2021. While not as high as
2018 and 2019 (318 million and 327 million recreation visits, respectively), servicewide visitation has essentially recovered to pre-
pandemic levels. The year 2022 is very much like years immediately before the NPS centennial in 2016 and is only 6% lower than
that all-time record year.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 5
Figure 1: Systems by primary purpose
Note: N=101 systems; DNO=did not operate
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Special Needs, 1 systems DNO, 1%
Interpretive Tour,
29 systems operated,
28%
Interpretive Tour,
9 systems DNO, 9%
Critical Access,
24 systems operated, 24%
Critical Access,
3 systems DNO, 3%
Mobility to or within Park,
21 systems operated, 21%
Mobility to or within Park,
2 systems DNO, 2%
Transportation Feature,
7 systems operated, 7%
Transportation Feature,
5 systems DNO, 5%
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 6
Mode
The 2022 transit inventory identified four modes operating in NPS transit systems. Most of the
transit systems are shuttle/bus/van/tram systems (43 systems, 43%), followed by ferry/boat (32
systems, 32%), train/trolley (4 systems, 4%), and plane (2 systems, 2%) (figure 2).
Figure 2: Systems by vehicle mode
Note: N=101 systems; DNO=did not operate
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Business Models
NPS transit systems operate under one of four types of business models (table 2, figure 3).
Concession Contracts: In 2022, 42 of the transit systems operated through concession
contracts in which a private concessioner pays the National Park Service a franchise fee
to operate inside a park. Five concession contract systems used vehicle fleets exclusively
owned by the National Park Service. Two systems have a mixed ownership fleet.
Service Contracts: Transit systems that are owned and/or operated by a private firm use
service contracts. In 2022, nine transit systems operated under a service contract. Out of
the nine service contract systems, four service contract systems used vehicle fleets
owned by the National Park Service.
Aircraft, 2 systems
operated, 2%
Shuttle/Bus/Van/Tram,
43 systems operated,
42%
Shuttle/Bus/Van/Tram,
16 systems DNO, 16%
Ferry/Boat,
32 systems
operated, 32%
Ferry/Boat,
3 systems DNO, 3%
Train/Trolley,
4 systems operated, 4%
Train/Trolley, 1 system DNO, 1%
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 7
Cooperative Agreements:
8
Fifteen transit systems operated under an agreement in
2022. None of those systems are owned by the National Park Service.
NPS Owned and Operated: In 2022, the National Park Service owned vehicle fleets for
20 systems and operated 15 of those systems.
9
These owned-and-operated systems tend
to be small and provided critical access to a park or park site, were interpretive tours, or
provided service for special needs.
Table 2: Systems by primary purpose
Notes: N=101 systems; DNO=did not operate; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
System Purpose
Concession
Contract
Cooperative
Agreement
NPS Owned and
Operated
Service
Contract
Total
Critical Access
12 1 DNO 4 0 5 0 3 2 DNO
24 3 DNO
Interpretive Tour
21 6 DNO 4 0 3 3 DNO 1 0
29 9 DNO
Mobility to or within Park
4 1 DNO 6 0 6 1 DNO 5 0
21 2 DNO
Special Needs
0 0 0 0 0 1 DNO 0 0
0 1 DNO
Transportation Feature
5 2 DNO 1 0 1 0 0 3 DNO
7 5 DNO
Total
42 10 DNO 15 0 15 5 DNO 9 5 DNO 81 20 DNO
8
The National Park Service Alternative Transportation Program uses “cooperative agreement” as a general term, encompassing all
qualifying partner agreements (memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement, and cooperative agreement).
9
The National Park Service maintained ownership of vehicle fleets for 36 systems in 2022. Twelve systems with NPS-owned vehicle
fleets were idle in 2022.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 8
Figure 3: Fleet system ownership by business model
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Passenger Boardings
In 2022, over 26.6 million passenger boardings occurred across all NPS transit systems.
10
If the
81 operating systems were considered one enterprise and compared to public transit agencies
across the country, its boardings would be comparable to transit systems in Minneapolis,
Minnesota.
11
Excluding concession contracts and cooperative agreements, NPS-owned and
operated systems and service contract systems reported 11.5 million trips (43% of total
boardings) in 2022.
Parks use various methodologies to count boardings. Most systems indirectly record passenger
boardings through ticket sales (10.1 million) and manual counts (8.5 million). Estimated,
automated, and other counter methodologies account for the remaining approximately 8
million passenger boardings.
10
A “passenger boarding” or “unlinked trip” occurs each time a passenger boards a vehicle. This is an industry-standard measure
used in the Federal Transit Administration’s National Transit Database.
11
“Public Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2022.” American Public Transportation Association. November 22, 2022.
Retrieved February 7, 2023. https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-Q4-Ridership-APTA.pdf.
5
4
15
5
4
3
35
6
15
5
2
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Concession
Contract
Concession
Contract DNO
Cooperative
Agreement
NPS Owned and
Operated
NPS Owned and
Operated DNO
Service Contract Service Contract
DNO
NPS Non-NPS NPS/Non-NPS
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 9
Table 3: Count methodology
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Count Methodology
Number of Systems Passenger Boardings
Ticket Sales 41 10,141,488
Manual 29 8,535,240
Automatic 6 6,366,313
Estimated 3 1,411,324
Other 2 190,500
A
pproximately 82% (21,973,922 million) of boardings on NPS transit systems in 2022 are
attributable to 10 systems (table 4). Two systems from the 2021 top 10 list did not make the top
10 list in 2022.
12
The Giant Forest Shuttle (Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks) and Island
Explorer & Bicycle Express (Acadia National Park) are new to the top 10 list in 2021. Boardings
increased in 2021 for eight of the 10 top 10 systems.
Table 4: Passenger boardings for the 10 highest-use transit systems
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Rank
Park System Name
2022
Boardings
Business Model System Purpose
1 STLI Statue of Liberty Ferries 6,993,087 Concession Contract Critical Access
2 ZION Zion Shuttle 4,383,151 Service Contract Critical Access
3 GRCA South Rim Shuttle Service 4,348,518 Service Contract
Mobility to or within
Park
4 GOGA Alcatraz Cruises Ferry 1,327,939 Concession Contract Critical Access
5 NAMA DC Circulator 1,201,986 Cooperative Agreement Transportation feature
6 YOSE Yosemite Valley Shuttle 1,015,082 Concession Contract
Mobility to or within
Park
7 PERL USS Arizona Memorial Tour 766,055 Cooperative Agreement Interpretative Tour
8 SEKI Giant Forest Shuttle 733,477 Cooperative Agreement Critical Access
9 ROMO
Rocky Mountain National Park
Visitor Shuttle
618,464 Service Contract
Mobility to or within
Park
10 BRCA
Bryce Canyon Shuttle and
Rainbow Point Shuttle
586,163 Service Contract
Mobility to or within
Park
Notes: BRCA=Bryce Canyon National Park; GOGA= Golden Gate National Recreation Area; GRCA=Grand Canyon National Park;
NAMA=National Mall and Memorial Parks; NPS=National Park Service; PERL=Pearl Harbor National Memorial; ROMO=Rocky Mountain
National Park; SEKI=Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks; STLI=Statue of Liberty National Monument; YOSE=Yosemite National Park;
ZION=Zion National Park
12
The Grand Canyon Railway (Grand Canyon National Park) and Island Explorer & Bicycle Express (Acadia National Park) were
not in the top 10 list in 2022.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 10
High-ridership shuttle systems are typically provided via service contracts, concession
contracts, and cooperative agreements. A greater proportion of the water-based systems are
provided through concession contracts and either provide critical access to parks and park sites
or serve as interpretive tours.
The National Park Service partnered with five local transit agencies in 2022 those partnerships
accounted for just 2 million passenger boardings in that year.
13
Passenger boardings among
NPS-owned and operated systems (15 systems) accounted for 594,369 passenger boardings.
Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8 and Interior Region 1 each reported more than 5 million passenger
boardings in 2022, exceeding other regions. Interior Region 1 – National Capital Area and
Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, and 11 reported more than 1 million passenger boardings. However, if
the 10 highest-use systems are excluded, each region ranged from 312,000 to 1.1 million
passenger boardings in 2022 (figure 4).
Figure 4: Passenger boardings by NPS region
Notes: N=81 systems; IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
13
The DC Circulator, Giant Forest Shuttle, Fairfax Connections Wolf Trap Express, Hiker Shuttle (Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area), and Shuttle Transport (Harper’s Ferry) are the five systems that were operated by a local transit authority.
1.1
588k
984k
526k
781k
312k
356k
9.9
7.0
3.8
1.2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
IR 6, 7 & 8 IR 1 IR 8, 9, 10 & 12 IR 1 - NCA IR 2 IR 3, 4 & 5 IR 11
Passenger Boadings (millions)
All Other Systems Top 10
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 11
Over half (59%) of passenger boardings were in systems that use shuttles, buses, vans, or trams,
and 40 were in water-based systems that use boats and ferries. Trains, trolleys, and aircraft
accounted for only less than 1% of all passenger boardings (figure 5).
Figure 5: Passenger boardings by mode
Note: N=81 systems
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
3
(11%)
1.5
(6%)
130k
(<1%)
24k
(<1%)
12.9
(48%)
9.1
(34%)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Shuttle/Bus/Van/Tram Ferry/Boat Train/Trolley Aircraft
Passenger Boadings (millions)
All Other Systems Top 10
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 12
Less than half of passenger boardings (42%) took place on systems operated using concession
contracts. Service contracts carried 41% of passenger boardings and 14% used cooperative
agreements. NPS-owned and operated systems carried 2% of boardings (see figure 6).
Excluding the 10 highest-use systems, concession contracts accounted for the most boardings
(7%), followed by cooperative agreements (4%), services contracts (4%) and NPS-owned and
operated (2%).
Figure 6: Passenger boardings by business model
Notes: N=81 systems; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Vehicles and Vessels
Vehicle Fleets
Including operating and nonoperating systems, over half of the transit systems (52 systems, or
51.4%) were under concession contracts, of which 9 used fleets owned by the National Park
Service and 2 used fleets of mixed ownership (both NPS owned and non-NPS owned). The
National Park Service owned and operated 20 transit systems (19.8%); these tend to be small
and provided critical access, interpretive tours, or mobility to or within the park in ways not
easily provided by a private operator. Systems managed through cooperative agreements
account for 15 of the systems (14.8%). The remaining 14 transit systems (13.8%) operate under
service contracts; of these, most use vehicle fleets owned by the National Park Service, including
the large systems at Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Parks.
2
(7%)
1.1
(4%)
1
(4%)
594k
(2%)
9.3
(35%)
2.7
(10%)
9.9
(37%)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Concession Contract Cooperative Agreement Service Contract NPS Owned and Operated
Passenger Boadings (millions)
All Other Systems Top 10
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 13
For the operating fleet reporting in 2022:
• NPS owned:
o 24 operating systems used National Park Service owned fleets; 12 systems with
NPS-owned fleets did not operate.
o 274 vehicles were reported to the inventory. Of those, 244 vehicles operated 30
and vehicles did not operate. Of the operating systems with NPS-owned fleets, 2
systems had a capacity for no more than 10 passengers, 11 systems had capacity
for 11–20 passengers, 10 systems had capacity for 21–40 passengers, and 5
systems had capacities over 40 passengers. Nineteen vehicles did not report
capacity.
• Non-NPS owned:
o 55 systems had non-NPS-owned and 2 mixed-ownership fleets.
o 600 vehicles were reported to the inventory. Of those, 546 vehicles operated, and
54 vehicles did not operate. Of the operating systems with non-NPS-owned or
mixed-ownership fleets, 10 systems had a capacity for no more than 10
passengers, 12 systems have capacity for 11–20 passengers, 14 systems have
capacity for 21–40 passengers, and 34 systems had capacities over 40 passengers.
Note: Some systems have varying capacity and may be counted twice.
Figure 7: Number of vehicles by fuel type
Notes: N=790 active vehicles and vessels; CNG=compressed natural gas; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
60
68
37
33
27
6
7
6
253
183
67
4
27
6
1
5
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Diesel Gasoline Propane CNG Hybrid
Electric
Biodiesel Electric Other
Number of Operating Vehicles
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 14
Table 5: Number of vehicles that operated in 2022 by fuel type
Notes: N=790 active vehicles and vessels; CNG=compressed natural gas
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Fuel Type NPS Owned
Non-NPS
Owned
Total
Diesel 60 253
313
Gasoline 68 183
251
Propane 37 67
104
CNG 33 4
37
Hybrid Electric 27 27
54
Biodiesel 6 6
12
Electric 7 1
8
Other 6 5
11
Total 244 546 790
% Alt Fuel 45% 19% 27%
Age of Vehicles
Vehicle age data was provided by 274 NPS-owned vehicles and 478 non-NPS-owned vehicles.
The age analysis excludes the 33 Red Bus Tour vehicles (Glacier National Park), which have
been retrofitted using the original 1936 exteriors and newer chassis. Given these parameters, the
age analysis includes 719 vehicles (82% of reported vehicles).
Table 6: Vehicle ownership by age c
lass
Note: N=719 vehicles and vessels
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Vehicle Ownership
0 to 4
Years Old
5 to 9
Years Old
10 to 14
Years Old
15 Years
and Older
Total
National Park Service
19
7.9%
39
16.2%
53
22.0%
130
53.9%
241
Non-National Park
Service
63
13.2%
272
56.9%
53
11.1%
90
18.8%
478
Total
82
11.4%
311
43.3%
106
14.7%
220
30.6%
719
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 15
Figure 8: All vehicles by age class (years)
Notes: N=719 vehicles and vessels; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
The non-NPS fleet is decidedly newer. A larger overall proportion of newer non-NPS vehicles
suggests that older vehicles have been retired at a higher rate in recent years. The replacement of
older vehicles may reflect contract language requiring vehicles to be within a certain age range.
Seventy-six percent of the active NPS-owned fleet is 10 years or older and puts many of the
vehicles in the latter portion of their service lives. In previous years, more than 80% of the NPS
fleet was 10 years or older. While vehicle replacements have occurred, there is still a need for
vehicle replacements in the next 10 years. In addition, parks must invest in the maintenance of
older vehicles to not only keep them operating but extend their service life.
Transit vehicles operating in the parks are not used in the same way as urban transit vehicles.
Park transit vehicles are typically not used for the entire year, nor are they used as intensively as
vehicles operated in an urban environment. As a result, they may be in service for considerably
longer lifespans, and recapitalization estimates should rely on park-specific estimates that
depend on their specific use (see the “Asset Management” section and appendix F).
17
36
49
121
2
3
4
9
59
264
46
44
4
8
7
46
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 to 4 5 to 9 10 to 14 15 and greater
Number of Operating Vehicles
NPS Vehicles NPS Vessels Non-NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vessels
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 16
Vessels
The National Park Service had 33 operating systems that use ferries or boats: 11 are for critical
access to park sites, 14 are for interpretive tours, 5 are transportation features, and 3 provide
mobility to or within the park. The National Park Service owns 18 of these vessels, and there are
96 non-NPS owned ferries or boats that operated in 2022. Vessels typically have a life cycle of
40–50 years.
Gulf Islands National Seashore purchased two ferries in 2017 using funds from the Gulf
oil spill. In 2019, 2020, and 2022, operations were impacted by several tropical storms,
hurricane, and repair efforts. In early 2022, the dock at Pensacola Beach was damaged
again, this time by a construction crane, making it unusable from April through August
2022. Only sunset cruises and minimal ferry service between Pensacola and the beach
occurred in 2022.
• Fort Matanzas National Monument replaced a boat in 2022 and plans to order a second
replacement boat in fiscal year 2023.
The Ranger III at Isle Royale National Park is over 60 years old and has outlived its
useful service life. A value analysis completed in 2019 indicates the need for a new
Ranger IV at a cost of $40–$60 million. Currently, the park began phase I to develop
detailed design and costs based on identified performance measures.
Performance Measures
The NPS Alternative Transportation Program (ATP) seeks to use meaningful, reliable data. The
objective is to use measurable, applicable, and achievable performance measures and metrics to
guide and support decision-making and management of NPS transit systems.
The performance measures below are split into the following sections that correspond to ATP
goals and the NPS National Long Range Transportation Plan:
14
visitor experience, operations,
environmental impact, and asset management. The ATP goals are included in appendix B.
Visitor Experience
This performance area addresses how park transportation systems enhance the visitor
experience. For 2022, the visitor experience performance measure includes accessibility for
mobility-impaired park visitors.
14
The long-range transportation plan can be accessed at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=551&documentID=82749.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 17
Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities
In 2022, 59.84% of 244 operating, NPS-owned vehicles and vessels were accessible for people
with mobility impairments (figure 9). This number is a decrease of 5% from 2021; however, an
additional 21 vehicles and vessels operated in 2022. Overall, 58% of the 274 NPS-owned
vehicles and vessels are accessible.
Of the 81 operating systems with NPS-owned vehicles or vessels, 17 did not report having
vehicles or vessels that are accessible. These systems include Canal Tours (Lowell National
Historical Park), Cape Cod Coastguard Beach Shuttle (Cape Cod National Seashore), Franklin
D. Roosevelt Tram (Home of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site), Full Circle Trolley
(Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park), Hiker Shuttle (Glacier National Park),
Green River Ferry (Mammoth Cave National Park), Historic Yellow Bus Tours (Yellowstone
National Park), Mariposa Grove Transportation Service (Yosemite National Park), MV Ranger
III (Isle Royale National Park), NPS Shuttle (Eugene O’Neil National Historic Site), Red Bus
Tours (Glacier National Park), Scranton Limited & Live Steam Excursions (Steamtown
National Historic Site), Harpers Ferry Shuttle Transport (Harpers Ferry National Historical
Park), Voyagers Boat Tour (Voyageurs National Park), Xanterra Parks and Resorts Bus Tour
(Yellowstone National Park), Snow Coaches (Yellowstone National Park), and Zion Shuttle
(Zion National Park). That number increases from 17 to 26 systems when including the systems
that did not operate in 2022: Akers Ferry (Ozark National Scenic Riverways), Cave Tours Bus
Shuttle (Mammoth Cave National Park), Fort Pickens Tram Service (Gulf Islands National
Seashore), Lakebed Tours (Johnstown Flood National Memorial), Land and Legacies Tour
(Cumberland Island National Seashore), Rapidan Camp Bus (Shenandoah National Park,
Tallgrass Bus Tours (Tall Grass Prairies National Preserve), and the Val-Kill Tram (Home of
Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site).
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 18
Figure 9: Accessibility of NPS-owned transit vehicles (entire fleet)
Notes: N=274 vehicles and vessels; DNO=did not operate; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Operations
This section evaluates the operational performance of the NPS transit systems by measuring the
annual percent change in boardings over the last five years. In 2018, the reduced number of
boardings may be attributed to a more-intense-than-usual hurricane season and the 2018
government shutdown, along with impacts from nonreporting parks. In 2020 and 2021, the
reduced number of boardings is attributed to park closures and limited or no transit system
operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Year-to-Year Trends in Boardings
Figure 10 shows the percent change in boardings from 2018 to 2022. Absolute boardings dipped
slightly in 2018 due to the government shutdown and an active hurricane season that caused
many temporary park shutdowns and reached an all-time high in 2019. Due to the pandemic,
ridership declined dramatically in 2020 but has shown steady increases in 2021 and 2022, as
more systems come back online and visitors feel more comfortable riding transit. However, not
all systems have returned or are fully operational, and the assumption is some visitors are still
reluctant to get on a crowded transit vehicle. Across the nation, transit ridership rates have not
recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and post-pandemic recovery continues to be slow.
In 2022, the National Park Service received 312 million recreation visits, up 15 million visits
(5%) from 2021. While not as high as 2018 and 2019, servicewide visitation has essentially
recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Visitation in 2022 is similar to the years immediately before
the NPS centennial in 2016 and is only 6% lower than the record year (331 million visitors in
2016). Overall, 12 parks set new visitation records in 2022, none of which have transit systems.
146,
53%
98,
36%
13 DNO, 5%
17 DNO,6%
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Accessible Not Accessible
Number of NPS Owned Transit Vehicles
Operated Did Not Operate
159, 58%
115, 42%
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 19
Figure 10: Percent change in boardings from 2018 to 2022
Source: 2018–2022 NPS transit inventory data
Table 7: Comparison of systems and boardings from 2018 to 2022
Source: 2018–2022 NPS transit inventory data
Metrics 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of Systems in Inventory
(% change from previous year)
95
-4%
97
2.1%
96
-1%
97
1%
101
4.1%
Number of Systems Operating
(% change from previous year)
95
-4%
97
2.1%
66
-32%%
63
-4.5%
81
28.6%
Number of Systems New to Inventory 0 2 1 1 4
Boardings
(% change from previous year)
42,320,594
-3.2%
45,967,894
8.6%
11,098,633
-75.9%
16,300,849
46.9%
26,644,865
63.5%
42.3
46.0
11.1
16.3
26.6
-3.2%
8.6%
-76%
46.9%
63.5%
-100%
-80%
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Percent Change
Passenger Boardings (millions)
Passenger Boardings Percent Change
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 20
Service Schedule
The 2022 inventory analyzed the reported service schedules of the 81 operating systems to
understand the general calendar spread of NPS transit systems. Although most seasonal service
dates ranged primarily over the summer and into early autumn (June to October), very few
operate in the winter (December to February), with 32% of systems (26 systems) operating year-
round (figure 11).
Peak season is defined as the period when the scheduled transit service is operating at its
greatest frequency. The most common peak season months are July and August, with shoulder
peak seasons extending May through September. For year-round systems, many parks report
peak seasons beginning as early as March and extending into September.
Systems operating year-round are among those with the highest annual ridership, representing
66% of total boardings. Of the 26 systems that operated year-round, 7 provide critical access, 10
are interpretive tours, 7 provide mobility within the park, and 2 are transportation features. The
next most common service period is 6 months out of the year (14 systems), followed by systems
that are in service for 5 months (13 systems each).
Transit systems in colder climates tend to operate for shorter seasons than those in warmer
areas. For example, systems in Interior Region 11 (Alaska) operate through September.
Conversely, many of the year-round systems are in the southern and western parts of the
country where the climates are milder. The wide range of climates encompassed by Interior
Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12—from Yosemite to Hawaii—leads to a wide range of schedules.
Figure 11: Distribution of service duration by number of months
Note: N=81 systems
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
0
1
6
8
13
14
7
3
2
0
1
26
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Number of Systems
Number of Months in Service
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 21
Safety
The 2022 inventory included questions regarding safety at the system level. Visitor and
workforce safety are among the highest NPS priorities, and transportation is a significant source
of risk to the safety of NPS transportation system users. Collecting safety and crash information
for transit systems informs the NPS National Long Range Transportation Plan’s transportation
safety goals and performance metrics.
In 2022, the number of NPS transit systems that reported traffic accidents increased from three
parks (13 accidents) to six parks (14 accidents). The number of affected systems doubled from
2021, while the number of accidents remained stable since doubling from 2020 to 2021. Of the
accidents reported in 2022, two had passengers on board during the accident (table 8),
compared to one in 2021. Similar to 2021, none of these accidents resulted in an injury or
fatality, although one did involve a bicyclist. Five systems reported minor vehicle damage, and
two systems had multiple accidents with varying level of damage. At least two systems reported
accidents due to driver error and two systems reported an accident due to the error of others.
Harpers Ferry Shuttle Transport: A bus hit a sign at the visitor center bus loop. The
bus was out of service for two weeks.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Tram Tour: The tram was damaged on the passenger side when
the employee driving the tram mistakenly struck the side of a building to avoid an
obstruction, causing damage to both the tram and the building. No one was injured.
South Rim Shuttle Service: The shuttles experienced eight incidents during the year;
four occurred on route. None of the accidents were the error of the shuttle driver, and
there were no injuries reported in any of the accidents. Some minor costs for repairs to
buses were needed.
Voyager Boat Tour: Two incidents occurred with two of the vessels, putting them out
of service, one for two days and one for one week. Both accidents were caused by ships
striking rocks on route; no passenger injuries were reported.
Yosemite Valley Shuttle: The system reported two minor accidents. The first incident
involved a visitor's private vehicle, and the other contact with a metal-framed sign.
Zion Shuttle: A minor incident involved an inexperience cyclist using an e-bike who
crossed yellow line, colliding with front corner of bus trailer.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 22
Table 8: Response to safety and operational questions
Note: HAFE=Harpers Ferry; HOFR=Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site; GRAC=Grand Canyon National Park;
VOYA=Voyageurs National Park; YOSE=Yosemite National Park; ZION=Zion National Park
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Park
System
Name
Number
of
Accidents
Passengers
on Board
Injuries
or
Fatalities
Bicycles or
Pedestrians
Accident
Occurred
on Route
Result of
Driver
Error
Real
Property
Damaged
HAFE
Harpers Ferry
Shuttle
Transport
1 No No No Yes Yes Yes
HOFR
FDR Tram
Tour
1 No No No No No Yes
GRCA
South Rim
Shuttle
Service
8 Yes No No Yes No Yes
VOYA
Voyager Tour
Boat
2 Yes No No Yes No Yes
YOSE
Yosemite
Valley Shuttle
2 No No No No Yes Yes
ZION Zion Shuttle 1 No No Yes No No No
F
igure 12: Year-to-year comparison of reported accidents
Source: 2019–2022 NPS transit inventory data
5
3 3
6
7
5
13
14
71%
260%
108%
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of Systems Reporting Accidents Number of Reported Accidents Change in Reported Accidents
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 23
Environmental Impact
Since 2017, the transit inventory uses the US Environmental Protection Agency's Motor Vehicle
Emissions Simulator (MOVES) for estimating NPS transit vehicle emissions.
15
The Motor
Vehicle Emissions Simulator is a state-of-the-science emissions modeling software that uses
preloaded measurement data to estimate emissions rates for different vehicle types, model years,
fuel types, and road types across several Clean Air Act criteria pollutants “from the bottom-up”
for both on- and off-road vehicles, including waterborne vessels. MOVES software is also the
regulatory standard for emissions inventory analyses under the Clean Air Act and related
legislation.
16
MOVES software bases emissions estimates on observations of actual vehicle
operations.
This section describes the results of the 2022 emissions analysis with respect to carbon dioxide
(CO
2
). The results for the other criteria pollutants—nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compound,
and particulate matter—as well as a detailed description of the analysis methodology, are
presented in appendix E.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on passenger vehicle miles traveled and
transit system operation in parks in 2020 and 2021. However, transit system activity started to
rebound in 2022. Vehicle miles traveled across all regions increased 385% from 2021 and 601%
from 2020 levels. The increased emissions level is directly related to the number of operational
systems and increased operations of systems nationwide.
Table 9: Comparison of emission results
Source: 2020–2022 NPS transit inventory data
Metrics 2020 2021 2022
Change 2022
vs. 2021
(percent)
Change 2022
vs. 2020
(percent)
Number of Operating
Systems
66 63 81 29% 23%
Count of Vehicles 913 803 817 2% -11%
Miles Traveled 3,408,710 4,925,288 19,953,523 305% 485%
Ferry Hours 19,735 38,409 43,857 14% 122%
Carbon Dioxide Emissions 12,873.50 22,491 54,291.98 141% 322%
15
This national transit inventory uses version MOVES 3.0.3, which was released in January 2022.
16
“Official Release of the MOVES2014 Motor Vehicle Emissions Model for SIPs and Transportation Conformity.” Federal Register
79:194 (October 7, 2014), p. 60343. Available from the Government Publishing Office at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-
10-07/pdf/2014-23258.pdf.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 24
Annual CO
2
Emissions
Figure 13 shows the results of MOVES carbon dioxide emissions modeling for transit systems,
aggregated to the regional level and split by ownership. Across all regions, NPS-owned transit
fleets emitted just over 24,163 metric tons of CO
2
in 2022. Interior Regions 8, 9, 10 and 12
experienced the highest number of ferry miles, resulting in the highest non-NPS-owned vehicles
CO
2
emissions. Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8 have the overall highest amount of vehicle miles
traveled, which results in the highest CO
2
emissions.
Table 10: Distribution of miles and CO
2
emissions by vehicle ownership
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Ownership
Vehicles
(number)
Vehicles
(percent)
Miles
Traveled
Miles
(percent)
CO
2
(metric tons)
CO
2
(percent)
NPS Owned 274 35% 3,771,613 19% 24,163.30 44%
Non-NPS Owned 546 65% 16,181,910 81% 17,924.57 56%
Total 820 100% 19,953,523 100% 42,087.87 100%
F
igure 13: Annual CO
2
emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
89
20,505
1,743
1,731
95
16,648
882
3,667
476
2,267
2,615
3,575
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 6, 7, 8 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 1 IR 1 - NCA IR 2 - SAG IR 11
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 25
Diverted Passenger Vehicle Trips and CO
2
Emissions Avoided
The benefits of using transit include:
reduction of the number of vehicle trips in parks,
congestion relief on park roads by carrying more people per square foot of road space,
elimination of associated fuel-inefficient driving behaviors like extended idling and
stop-and-go,
potential to influence how visitors spend their time in the park, and
removal of long lines of cars from viewsheds.
Servicewide, an estimated 10.2 million private vehicle trips were eliminated in 2022, double the
diverted passenger vehicle trips estimated in 2021, and a reduction of nearly 231,655 metric tons
of CO
2
emissions; without transit service, there would have been an additional 618 million miles
driven in private vehicles. As stated previously, regions with high transit use and more boardings
divert more personal vehicles from the road.
Asset Management
Performance measurement for assets helps support the long-term financial viability of the
transit systems through tracking the age of NPS-owned vehicle fleets and estimating fleet
recapitalization costs. In this context, “vehicles” refers only to on-road motorized vehicles and
excludes nonroad transportation, such as ferries, locomotives, snow coaches, and aircraft. Any
of those described in table 9 are shown only for reference and were not analyzed for
recapitalization estimates.
Average Age of NPS Vehicles
Table 11 reports the aggregate average age for NPS-owned transit vehicles servicewide and
includes all NPS-owned vehicles regardless of whether they operated or not in 2022. The
average age of each NPS vehicle type is below the service life for most vehicle types, but many
categories include vehicles older than their typical lifespan. In the case of medium-duty transit,
the average age is the anticipated service life. Notably, 65 vehicles will exceed their service life in
next five years; of these, 50 are heavy-duty transit or medium-duty shuttles. On average, heavy-
and medium-duty shuttle buses are the newest vehicles in the NPS-owned fleet, which is
reflective of the fleet replacements occurring at Glacier, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion
National Parks.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 26
Table 11: Vehicle age for NPS transit vehicle types
17
Notes: N=241 vehicles and vessels;
18
N/A=not applicable
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Vehicle Type
Average
Age
Number of
Vehicles
Service
Life
(years)
Number of
Vehicles Beyond
Service Life*
Number of Vehicles
Exceeding Service Life
in Next 10 Years*
Tram/Golfcart 6 12 11 2 10
Passenger Van 14 21 10 18 3
Light-Duty Shuttle 12 20 15 5 14
Medium-Duty
Shuttle
12 41 15 16 23
Medium-Duty
Transit
19 34 18 24 8
Heavy-Duty
Transit
13 68 18 23 30
Ferry/Boat 26 18 N/A N/A 0
Train/Streetcar 55 5 N/A N/A 0
School Bus 17 7 18 1 6
Snowmobile/Snow
Coach
54 12 N/A N/A 0
Van 9 3 10 3 0
Total – 241 – 92 94
*Number of vehicles beyond service life in the next 10 years is a total of 186 vehicles. This includes 92 vehicles that are operating
beyond their estimated service life in 2022 and 94 vehicles exceeding service life in the next 1–10 years (2023–2032). These columns are
calculated using the vehicle’s age and estimated service life.
Transition to Electric Vehicles and Estimated Vehicle Recapitalization Needs
Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” requires federal
agencies to establish a plan that will enable government motor vehicle fleets to transition to
clean and-zero emission vehicles. Additionally, Executive Order 14057, “Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability,” establishes a goal of 100% zero-
emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027 and 100% zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by
2035.
The transition to electric vehicles will occur when a vehicle needs to be replaced. Estimates of
NPS-owned vehicle replacement needs begin with vehicle ages, along with the associated
replacement costs and service life assumptions shown in appendix F. Each park is responsible
for determining when a vehicle needs to be replaced, which is dependent on funding availability
and other factors. Service life is highly dependent on vehicle use, in addition to vehicle age;
17
The 2020 recategorization of the NPS fleet vehicles resulted in new categories and shifting vehicles to more appropriate vehicle
type categories compared to past inventories. See appendix F for more information.
18
The Glacier National Park Red Bus Tours vehicles were excluded from this analysis, as they have been extensively retrofitted
during their 80-plus years in service.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 27
therefore, more detailed information is needed before determining if a vehicle is truly due for
replacement.
Based on an analysis using the methodology outlined in appendix F, the National Park Service is
facing a large fleet replacement need of 228 vehicles over the next 10 years and an estimated
$187 million in NPS-owned transit vehicle capital costs.
19
These fleet replacements include
legacy transit systems at Acadia, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks. The 10-year
estimated cost does not include the ongoing fleet replacement at Zion National Park or electric
vehicle service equipment and other infrastructure upgrades to accommodate transitioning to
electric vehicles. Projected costs and escalation are calculated based on 2022 dollars and may
vary from year to year as vehicles from different systems are replaced or rehabilitated to extend
their service life.
Next Steps
The inventory continues to provide essential information on NPS transit systems at the park,
regional, and national levels. This effort allows stakeholders to understand the basic
characteristics of NPS transit systems, including how many visitors are served, the number and
types of transit systems, vehicle service life and fuel types, the business models under which
these systems operate, and performance measures (including emissions).
The transit inventory collects annual operational information to supplement other data
initiatives that focus on NPS fixed real property assets. This effort provides a consistent
platform to efficiently gather information that can be compared through time and enables the
National Park Service to examine disparate transit systems as a whole and evaluate their benefits
and impacts. As visitation at national parks increases, transit systems remain important assets for
reducing resource impacts from personal vehicles while improving access and enhancing the
visitor experience.
The following lessons will be incorporated to improve future transit data calls:
Continued Coordination with Relevant NPS Stakeholders: Continue sharing data
and identifying ways the transit data can be used to support program missions, goals, and
outcomes across the National Park Service. Consider stronger coordination with
concessions and service contracts to include data requirements in new contracts.
Create New and/or Refine Existing Data Elements: Continue to refine the number of
fields in the data call, adding or removing data fields as necessary to gather only
necessary information while limiting the burden of data collection on the park staff.
Improve the Data Collection Online Tool: The online data collection tool moved to
the Microsoft PowerApps platform in 2019. A limitation of this tool is that it is restricted
19
The estimated vehicle replacement costs assume an eligible Green Fleet vehicle base model cost. Often, purchase price exceeds the
base model cost because of selected vehicle options. In addition, costs do not include electric vehicle charging equipment and
associated infrastructure needs.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 28
to NPS users only, and concessioners are not able to access the tool. The option for
concessioners to submit their data via spreadsheet was provided again for 2022. The
interactive web report was also updated for 2022, and the online report includes all
historic NTI data. The National Park Service anticipates updating the data collection
tool and data storage for performance enhancements for the 2023 data collection.
Continue to Expand Performance Measures Analysis: Continue including additional
performance measures to track progress of NPS transit systems over time and include in
this report. Collaborate with other NPS planning efforts to provide measurable data.
Shift safety questions to a quantitative input and collaborate with the transportation
safety program manager for reporting.
Communicate the Benefit and Impact of NPS Transit Systems to Visitors: Consider
communicating to visitors how their choice to use transit has a positive impact on park
resources through reducing congestion and emissions from private vehicles. The positive
impacts of transit use could be communicated in a variety of ways, such as consistent
signage throughout the national park system, through social media, or on the NPS
website.
Consider Multimodal Connections to Transit: The transit inventory could be
expanded to include connections to transportation trails.
20
Considering opportunities
for bicycling and walking in national parks and connections to transit could give a better
picture of the opportunities for exploring national parks without using a private vehicle.
Coordinate with the Vehicle Health Index to Refine Recapitalization Analysis and
Anticipated Service Life: Developed from industry standard approaches to fleet
condition assessment, the Vehicle Health Index (VHI) provides a data-driven approach
to understanding fleet condition across the National Park Service’s portfolio of fleet
assets. The Vehicle Health Index consists of a series of rapid-visual and diagnostic tests,
scored 0–10, for each subcomponent of a vehicle (e.g., engine, drivetrain, interior) to
generate a “Total Vehicle Score,” the official VHI metric. Data collected from VHI
assessments will enhance existing asset management practices by providing consistent,
point-in-time assessments of fleet condition. The assessment will inform both the
expected service life for vehicles on public lands and the recapitalization analysis.
20
NPS definition of a “transportation trail”: Multimodal trail that accommodates pedestrians and/or bicycles and connects to a
larger transportation system, including land- and water-based transit and/or regional trail systems or direct connections to a
community (not solely recreational trails).
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 29
Explore Count Methodology Standardization: Eighty-five percent of boardings are
attributed to 10 systems. Understand the count methodology for these 10 systems and
develop standardization in count methodology. Consider developing standard operating
procedures/business practices for the remaining types of count methodologies or
consider automating manual counts, where appropriate.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 30
Appendixes
Appendix A – Acknowledgments
The National Park Service would like to thank the numerous NPS transit system contacts who
graciously provided their time, knowledge, and guidance in the development of this inventory
and new web application.
Special thanks to each park and park contact who provided data for the 2021 inventory year. A
list of each park contact is included in appendix D.
Interior Region 1 – National
Capital Area
Ryan Yowell
National Capital Region
Interior Region 1
Amanda Jones
Northeast Region
Interior Region 2 – South Atlantic
Group
Lee Edwards
Southeast Region
Interior Region 3, 4, and 5
Mark Mitts
Midwest Region
Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8
Michael Madej
Regional Office
Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12
Erica Simmons
Regional Office
Interior Region 11
Kevin Doniere
Alaska Region
Washington Support Office
Steve Suder
Alternative Transportation Program
J
oni Gallegos
Alternative Transportation Program
Jennifer Miller
Program Analyst
Denver Service Center
Cliff Burton
Information Management
Robert Maupin
Transportation Division
C
hantae Moore
Transportation Division
B
riAnna Weldon
Transportation Division
Volpe Center
(Department of Transportation)
Amalia Holub
Public Lands Team
Anjuliee Mittelman
Environmental Measurement and Modeling
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 31
Appendix B – National Park Service Alternative Transportation Program
Goals and Objectives
GOAL: Cultivate improvements in transportation connectivity, convenience, and safety
for visitors and workforce.
OUTCOME: Access to, from, and within national parks is convenient, safe, and well-
connected via appropriate and integrated transportation solutions.
Develop transportation options that meet the diverse needs of park visitors and
NPS workforce.
Connect and enhance existing transportation options.
Minimize injuries, fatalities, and crashes associated with all modes of
transportation.
Participate in local, regional, and statewide transportation planning processes to
ensure appropriate integration of NPS transportation infrastructure, systems, and
services.
GOAL: Provide quality transportation experiences that enhance park visits.
OUTCOME: NPS transportation systems contribute to the positive experience of park
visitors.
Improve visitor access to appropriate destinations.
Use transportation to educate and inform visitors about park resources and
services.
Reduce disruptions to the visitor experience related to vehicle traffic congestion.
Design and adapt transportation systems to complement each park’s unique
context and mission.
GOAL: Demonstrate leadership in environmentally responsible transportation.
OUTCOME: The National Park Service is recognized as a leader in environmentally
responsible transportation.
Prioritize investments and operations that reduce vehicle emissions, noise and
light pollution, traffic congestion, and unendorsed parking.
Educate park visitors and workforce about the environmental benefits of
transportation options within and beyond park boundaries.
Contribute to NPS and park greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 32
Implement proven green transportation innovations and best practices, where
appropriate.
GOAL: Ensure the long-term financial viability of NPS transportation infrastructure,
systems, and services.
OUTCOME: Funding is adequate to maintain transportation infrastructure, operate
transportation systems, and manage transportation services now and into the foreseeable
future.
Consider the full range of business models and associated lifecycle costs (direct
and indirect) before making investments.
Increase the flexibility of funding mechanisms to better support transportation
options.
Rightsize and maintain needed transportation assets and services in a state of good
repair.
Develop transportation options with reciprocal benefits for NPS and gateway
communities that can be collaboratively funded and/or operated.
Seek to enhance or develop partnerships with public, private, and philanthropic
organizations that are aligned with the NPS mission.
GOAL: Manage the transportation program based on meaningful, reliable data.
OUTCOME: The National Park Service demonstrates accountability in the management
of transportation resources.
Use measurable, applicable, and achievable performance measures and metrics to
guide and support decision-making and management of the transportation
program.
Invest in and maintain data that supports performance measures aligned with
program goals.
Continually evaluate transportation options to ensure they meet program goals
and adjust operations to optimize system performance.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 33
Appendix C – Definition of Transit
The National Park Service Alternative Transportation Program (ATP) developed a
definition for an “NPS transit system” prior to conducting the 2012 transit inventory. Only
parks with systems that met each of the three criteria listed below were considered for the
inventory:
1. Moves people by motorized vehicle on a regularly scheduled service.
21
2. O
perates under one of the following business models: concession contract; service
contract; partner agreement including memorandum of understanding,
memorandum of agreement, or cooperative agreement (commercial use
agreements are not included); or is NPS owned and operated.
22
3. A
ll routes and services at a given park that are operated under the same business
model by the same operator are considered a single NPS transit system.
This definition was based on a review of past efforts, analysis of the existing transit
portfolio, and individual and group conversations with the Regional Transportation
Program coordinators and the Federal Lands Highway Program Servicewide Maintenance
Advisory Committee. In response to challenges encountered during the course of the
inventory, small changes were made to the original draft definition to improve clarity. The
definition was uniformly applied to all potential systems to determine whether each
should be included in the inventory.
The NPS Alternative Transportation Program investigated several potential criteria that
stemmed from existing ATP documents and conversations with ATP stakeholders, as
presented below.
Provides transit service: An “NPS transit system” should provide transit service. In the
glossary of the National Transit Database, the Federal Transit Administration defines
transit as synonymous with public transportation and public transportation is defined as
follows in the Federal Transit Act: “… transportation by a conveyance that provides
regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but does not
include school bus, charter, or intercity bus transportation or intercity passenger rail
transportation provided by [Amtrak].” Conversations with NPS regional transportation
coordinators further specified transit service should be limited to motorized conveyances.
Based on this information, the NPS Alternative Transportation Program proposed the
following criterion: “moves people by motorized vehicle on a regularly scheduled
service.”
21
This criterion includes services with a posted schedule that have standard operating seasons/days of week/hours. Services
that do not operate on a fixed route, are charter services for individual groups, or exist for the sole purpose of providing
access to persons with disabilities are not included.
22
For the purposes of this inventory, no distinction was drawn between a memorandum of understanding, memorandum of
agreement, or cooperative agreement. All were recorded as “cooperative agreement.”
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 34
Is important to the NPS mission: The importance of transit systems to fulfilling the NPS
mission is a core tenet of the Alternative Transportation Program, as established in
previous program plans and extensively discussed at program meetings. However, the
simple question, “Is this system important to the NPS mission?” is subjective and would
return inconsistent results. For many systems, particularly those for which the National
Park Service has a financial stake or has a formal contract or agreement in place, the
answer seems clear: because the National Park Service has made an effort to provide the
service, the service is assumed to be important to the mission. Other services, particularly
those that operate under a commercial use agreement (CUA), are not as clearly essential to
the mission. Thus, the NPS Alternative Transportation Program proposed the following
criterion: “operates under one of the following business models: concessions contract;
service contract; partner agreement including memorandum of understanding,
memorandum of agreement, or cooperative agreement (commercial use agreements
are not included); or NPS owned and operated systems.” The NPS Alternative
Transportation Program used “cooperative agreement” as a general term, encompassing
all qualifying partner agreements (memorandum of understanding, memorandum of
agreement, and cooperative agreement).
Concession contracts were included because they require resources and desire by the NPS
to initiate. Also, after the bid and award process, concession contracts limit competition
with other private operators and thus generally result in close working relationships with
the National Park Service. Commercial use agreements are not included because
prospective CUA operators request permission from the National Park Service to operate.
These agreements are not initiated by the National Park Service, and the resulting services
are inherently not “NPS” systems.
Commercial use agreements were not included because these services are owned and
operated by private operators, and the National Park Service only provides oversight to
ensure that the services are operated in accordance with NPS policies and requirements.
Hundreds of commercial use agreement exist servicewide that provide visitors tours and
transportation. Collecting and reporting information on all these systems could be
burdensome to parks and regions. If information were to be collected and reported on
CUA services at all, an objective measure of importance would need to be identified and
two key questions would need to be addressed. First, how does one objectively determine
whether a service operated under a commercial use agreement is important versus
nonessential to the NPS mission? This effort found only one subcategory of commercial
use agreement that could be considered objective: services that provide sole access to an
NPS resource. Second, should the National Park Service represent as its own services for
which it has no role in the acquisition, operations, or maintenance activities? Even for
commercial use agreements that provide sole access, this effort suggests not. This
determination is not to suggest that the service is not important to the National Park
Service but rather to acknowledge that the service is not the responsibility of the National
Park Service—in other words, the service is not an “NPS transit system.” These systems
could be tracked separately but would not be included in the inventory.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 35
Reduces vehicle miles traveled (VMT): In theory, reducing vehicle miles traveled
reduces emissions. However, the simple question of “Does a system reduce VMT?” was
tested on candidate NPS transit systems, and answers tended to be complex and
debatable. The NPS Alternative Transportation Program determined that “reduces VMT”
is not an objective criterion. Although reducing VMT can be a goal of NPS transit systems,
it should not be a defining characteristic.
Provides critical access: The question, “Does a system provide critical access?” was
tested on candidate NPS transit systems. However, not all NPS transit systems provide
critical access, and not all systems which provide critical access meet other likely criteria
of a definition, such as the National Park Service having a financial stake. Thus, this
criterion would not contribute toward a simple, clear definition.
Tours versus transportation: A distinction exists between interpretive tours and
transportation, the former being a recreational activity itself and the latter being the
conveyance of a passenger to or between activities. Whether a system is a tour or provides
transportation was tested on candidate NPS transit systems. The distinction was often
ambiguous. Many “transportation services” also provide interpretation or offer an
experience on board. Many “tours” transport people to activities, allow people to get on
and off, and/or take passengers to places in national parks that they could not access in
their cars (for example, to a point on a body of water). Furthermore, both tours and
transportation services further the visitor experience component of the NPS mission, and
the NPS Alternative Transportation Program sought not to prioritize one over the other.
Although in daily life a transportation trip (often thought to be mandatory—e.g., to the
grocery store) might be more important than a tour trip (often thought to be
discretionary—e.g., a historical tour of a battlefield), in a recreational setting such as
national park, both types of trips may be vital to providing high-quality visitor
experiences.
Is part of a connected, multimodal network: Several stakeholders suggested this
criterion. However, it is vague and requires further definition of the term “connected,
multimodal network.”
Identifying unique systems: In order to be consistent servicewide in counting the
number of transit systems, the NPS Alternative Transportation Program investigated
methods for defining where one transit system stops and another starts and tested these
with candidate NPS transit systems, particularly at parks thought to have more than one
system. Based on this investigation, the NPS Alternative Transportation Program
proposed a final criterion: “all routes and services operated by the same operator
under the same business model at a given park are considered a single transit system.”
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 36
Once developed, the pilot definition was shared individually with the transportation
program coordinators from each of the seven NPS regions. Feedback from each region
was generally supportive. The definition was also presented at the May 2012 Federal
Lands Highway Program Servicewide Maintenance Committee. Again, reaction by
meeting participants was generally supportive. The associate director, Park Planning,
Facilities, and Lands, formalized the draft definition in August 2012 in a memo titled,
“National Park Service Transit Inventory Definition and Next Steps.”
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 37
Appendix D – 2022 NPS National Inventory System List
Interior Region 1
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS Contact
Name
ACAD
Island Explorer
& Bicycle
Express
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
414,808 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Mobility to
or within
Park
John Kelly
ADAM Adams Trolley
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Service
Contract
Critical
Access
Kevin Kelly
BOHA
Boston Light
Tour
Ferry/Boat 1,190 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Interpretive
Tour
John Curwen
BOHA
Thompson
Island Ferry
Ferry/Boat 2,906 NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to
or within
Park
John Curwen
CACO
Coastguard
Beach Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
53,988 NPS
NPS owned
and operated
Critical
Access
John DeFoe
DEWA
DEWA Hiker
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
5,434 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Critical
Access
Jennifer
Kavanaugh
EISE EISE Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
9,945 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical
Access
Jana Friesen
McCabe
FIIS
Sailors Haven
Ferry
Ferry/Boat 34,206 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical
Access
Jason Pristupa
FIIS Watch Hill Ferry Ferry/Boat 17,164 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical
Access
Jason Pristupa
HOFR FDR Tram
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
5,254 NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Mobility to
or within
Park
Adam
Millington
HOFR Val-Kill Tram
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Mobility to
or within
Park
Adam
MIllington
JOFL Lakebed Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Interpretive
Tour
Douglas
Bosley
LOWE Canal Tours Ferry/Boat 5,308 NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Interpretive
Tour
Micheasl
Curran
LOWE
LOWE Historic
Trolley
Train/Trolley 17,838 NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Mobility to
or within
Park
Michael
Curran
MABI
Full Circle
Trolley
Train/Trolley 200 NPs
NPS Owned
and Operated
Critical
Access
Christina
Martts
SHEN
Rapidan Camp
Bus
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Interpretive
Tour
Tim Taglauer
STEA
Scranton
Limited & Live
Steam
Excursions
Train/Trolley 12,300 NPS
NPS Owned
and Operated
Interpretive
Tour
Garrett Lisak
STLI
Statue of
Liberty Ferries
Ferry/Boat 6,993,087 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical
Access
Ben Hanslin
VAFO
History of
Valley Forge
Trolley Tour
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
7,697 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Interpretive
Tour
Pamela
Zesotarski
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 38
Interior Region 1 – National Capital Area
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
HAFE
HAFE Shuttle
Transport
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
356,826 NPS
Service
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Larry
Moore
NAMA
Big Bus Tours
Washington DC
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
167,097 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Karl Gallo
NAMA DC Circulator
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
1,201,986 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Transportation
Feature
Yue Li
WOTR
Fairfax
Connectors Wolf
Trap Express
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
2,663 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Janette
Lemons
Interior Region 2 – South Atlantic Group
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
BLRI
Sharp Top
Mountain
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
5,138 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
feature
Gail Fox
CALO
CALO Ferry
Service
Ferry/Boat 97,484 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access
Katherine
Cusinberry
CARL Electric Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Special Needs
Sarah
Perschall
CUIS
CUIS Ferry
Service
Ferry/Boat
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access Chad Gray
CUIS
Land and
Legacies Tour
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Chad Gray
DRTO
DRTO Ferry
Service
59,782 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access Emily Sweet
DRTO
Key West
Seaplane
Adventures
Aircraft 16,554 NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Emily Sweet
FOMA
FOMA Ferry
Service
Ferry/Boat 71,464 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Critical Access
Andrew
Rich
FOSU
FOSU Ferry
Service
Ferry/Boat 284,380 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access
Michelle
Haas
GUIS
Ship Island
Ferry
Ferry/Boat 44,240 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Richard
Devenney
GUIS
Fort Pickens
Tram Service
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Service
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Richard
Devenney
GUIS
GUIS Ferry
Service
Ferry/Boat 13,289 NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Richard
Devenney
KEMO
KEMO Shuttle
Bus
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Service
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Ladrick
Downie
Ferry/Boat
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 39
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
MACA
Cave Tours Bus
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Steve Kovar
MACA
Green River
Ferry
Ferry/Boat 189,310 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Transportation
Feature
Steve Kovar
Interior Regions 3, 4, and 5
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
APIS Excursion boat Ferry/Boat 47,069 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Elizabeth
Lowthian
CUVA
Cuyahoga
Valley Scenic
Railroad
Train/Trolley 100,481 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Mobility to or
within Park
Jennifer
Vasarhelyi
ISRO
MV Isle Royale
Queen IV
Ferry/Boat 13,608 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access
Chris
Amidon
ISRO
MV Voyageur II
and Sea Hunter
III
Ferry/Boat 10,196 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access
Chris
Amidon
ISRO
Royale Air
Service Inc.
float plane
Aircraft 8,334 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access
Chris
Amidon
ISRO MV Sandy Tour Ferry/Boat 2,172 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Chris
Amidon
ISRO MV Ranger III Ferry/Boat 4,803 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Critical Access
Chris
Amidon
OZAR Akers Ferry Ferry/Boat
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Peggy
Tarrence
PIRO
Pictured Rocks
Cruises
Ferry/Boat 103,543 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Joseph
Hughes
SCBL
SCBL Free
Shuttle Service
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
15 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Mobility to or
within Park
Justin
Cawiezel
SLBE
Manitou Island
Transit
Ferry/Boat 10,690 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Phil Akers
TAPR TAPR Bus Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Interpretive Tour
Heather
Brown
VOYA
VOYA Tour
Boat
Ferry/Boat 11,390 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Interpretive Tour
Tawnya
Schoewe
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 40
Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
BAND
Bandelier
National
Monument
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
70,295 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Critical Access
Dennis
Milligan
BRCA
Bryce Canyon
Shuttle and
Rainbow Point
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
586,163 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Kevin Poe
DINO Tram Transit
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
350,668 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Critical Access
Dan
Johnson
GLAC
Glacier Park
Boat Company
interpretive
boat tours
Ferry/Boat 120,676 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Hayley Bahr
GLAC Sun Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
6,363 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Hayley Bahr
GLAC
Red Bus Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
46,288 NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Hayley Bahr
GLAC
GLAC Hiker
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
3,007 NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Patrick
Glynn
GLAC
Visitor
Transportation
System
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram 165,631 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Mobility to or
within Park
Patrick
Glynn
GLCA
Antelope Point
Ferry/Boat
19,962 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Gregory
Owen
GLCA
Boat Tours
Ferry/Boat
3,031 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Gregory
Owen
GLCA
Flatwater Tour
Ferry/Boat
12,878 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Gregory
Owen
GLCA
SR276
Passenger Ferry
Ferry/Boat
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Gregory
Owen
GRCA
South Rim Bus
Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Franklin
Dunfree
GRCA
Grand Canyon
Railway
Train/Trolley
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Franklin
Dunfree
GRCA
South Rim
Shuttle Service
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
4,348,518 NPS
Service
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Franklin
Dunfree
GRTE
Jenny Lake
Shuttle Boat
Ferry/Boat
238,920 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Patrick C
Mcgaugh
LIBI
LIBI Bus Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
5,650 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Scott Hill
MEVE
Long House
Trailhead tram
and Half-day
ranger guided
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram Did Not
Operate
NPS; Non-
NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Allan P Loy
ROMO
Rocky
Mountain
National Park
Visitor Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
618,464 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
John P
Hannon
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 41
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
YELL
Xanterra Parks
& Resorts
interpretive
snowcoaches
tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
15,034 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Matthew
Mankowski
YELL
Historic Yellow
Bus Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
9,294 NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Matthew
Mankowski
YELL YELL Boat Ferry/Boat 16,676 NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Matthew
Mankowski
YELL
Xanterra Parks
& Resorts
interpretive bus
tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
8,826 NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Matthew
Mankowski
YELL
YELL Snow
Coaches
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
28,195
NPS; Non-
NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Matthew
Mankowski
ZION Zion Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
4,383,151 NPS
Service
Contract
Critical Access Lisa Ogden
Interior Regions 8 (Southern California and Southern Nevada), 9, 10, and 12
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS Contact
Name
CHIS Island Packers Ferry/Boat 80,223 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access John Hansen
CRLA
Crater Lake Boat
Tour
Ferry/Boat 2,429 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Sean
Denniston
CRLA
Rim Drive Trolley
Tour
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
9,824 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Sean
Denniston
DEPO
Reds Meadow
Shuttle Bus
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
54,013 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Critical Access Kevin Killian
EUON NPS Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
1,386 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Critical Access
Thomas
Leatherman
GOGA/
ALCA
Alcatraz Cruises
Ferry
Ferry/Boat 1,327,939 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access Alice Young
MUWO
Muir Woods
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
75,310 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Mobility to Or
Within Park
Darren
Brown
NOCA/
LACH
Concession
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Non-NPS
Annelise
Lesmeister
NOCA/
ROLA
Rainbow Falls
Tours
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Annelise
Lesmeister
NOCA/
ROLA
Ross Lake Hiker
Shuttle
Ferry/Boat
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Annelise
Lesmeister
PERL Ford Island Bus
Tour
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
1,542 Non-NPS
Service
Contract
Interpretive Tour Daniel Brown
PERL Missouri/PHAM
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
294,601 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Interpretive Tour Daniel Brown
PERL
USS Arizona
Memorial Tour
Ferry/Boat 766,055 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Interpretive Tour Daniel Brown
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 42
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS Contact
Name
PINN Pinnacle Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
52,475 NPS
NPS Owned
and
Operated
Mobility to or
within Park
James Dukich
PORE
Headlands
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
Did Not
Operate
Non-NPS
Critical
Access
Service Contract
Brannon
Ketcham
SEKI Giant Forest
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
733,477 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Critical Access
Joshua
Handel
SEKI
Gateway Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
7,438 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Mobility to or
within Park
Joshua
Handel
YOSE Tram Tours and
Hiker Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
28,053 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour Jim Donovan
YOSE Winter Ski
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
419 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Jim Donovan
YOSE YARTS:
Yosemite Area
Regional
Transportation
System
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
71,603 Non-NPS
Cooperative
Agreement
Mobility to or
within Park
Jim Donovan
YOSE Mariposa Grove
Transportation
Service
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
305,458 NPS
Service
Contract
Critical Access Jim Donovan
YOSE Yosemite Valley
Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
1,015,082 NPS
Concession
Contract
Mobility to or
within Park
Jim Donovan
Interior Region 11 – Alaska
Park
Code
System Name
Vehicle
Type
2022
Passenger
Boardings
Vehicle
Ownership
Agreement
Type
Purpose
NPS
Contact
Name
DENA
Bus Tours and
Shuttle Service
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
340,258 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Critical Access Jim LeBel
GLBA Day Boat Tour Ferry/Boat 6,969 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Interpretive Tour
Melanie
Berg
GLBA Airport Shuttle
Shuttle/Bus/
Van/Tram
8,782 Non-NPS
Concession
Contract
Transportation
Feature
Melanie
Berg
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 43
Appendix E – Change in Vehicle Types
Table 12: Recategorization of vehicle types
Note: Includes all fleet data regardless of 2022 active operational status
Sources: 2021 and 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Vehicle Type 2021 Vehicles 2022 Vehicles Difference
Ferry/Boat 118 106 -12
NPS Owned 16 18 2
Non-NPS Owned 102 88 -14
Van/SUV/Sedan 15 18 3
NPS Owned 2 3 1
Non-NPS Owned 13 15 2
Passenger Van 125 121 -4
NPS Owned 31 21 -10
Non-NPS Owned 94 100 6
Light-Duty Shuttle 35 42 7
NPS Owned 13 20 7
Non-NPS Owned 22 22 0
Medium-Duty Shuttle 93 106 13
NPS Owned 71 74 3
Non-NPS Owned 22 32 10
Medium-Duty Transit (Bus) 80 78 -2
NPS Owned 36 34 -2
Non-NPS Owned 44 44 0
Heavy-Duty Transit (Bus) 226 216 -10
NPS Owned 66 68 2
Non-NPS Owned 160 148 -12
School Bus 115 119 4
NPS Owned 7 7 0
Non-NPS Owned 108 112 4
Snowmobile/Snow coach 12 20 8
NPS Owned 12 12 0
Non-NPS Owned 0 8 8
Tram/Golfcart 21 24 3
NPS Owned 10 12 2
Non-NPS Owned 11 12 1
Train/Trolley/Streetcar 21 22 1
NPS Owned 5 5 0
Non-NPS Owned 16 17 1
Aircraft 3 2 -1
NPS Owned 0 0 0
Non-NPS Owned 3
2 -1
Total 864 874 10
NPS Owned 269 274 5
Non-NPS Owned 595 600 5
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 44
Appendix F – Vehicle Replacement Assumptions
Uniform vehicle replacement costs and expected service lives were used to provide
servicewide consistency in estimates of vehicle age, remaining service life, and
recapitalization costs. The assumptions below provided the basis for the recapitalization
analysis, which was also validated by regional staff to reflect variations in timelines, vehicle
types purchased, and growth in vehicle fleets. These assumptions were updated for the
2015 inventory from previous inventories
23
to reflect the usage and operating
characteristics of NPS vehicles (tables 10 and 11). National Park Service vehicles are not
used in the same way that city transit vehicles are used; they are typically not used for the
entire year and are not used as intensively as transit vehicles in an urban environment.
Vehicle cost estimates were mostly taken from the General Service Administration’s
AutoChoice Database.
In January 2022, the National Park Service requested an updated expected service life for
vehicles on public lands and a discussion on shuttle bus versus transit bus configurations
from the Volpe Center (US Department of Transportation).
Shuttle Bus versus Transit Bus Configurations and Expected Service Life
The on-road vehicle types common to the NPS transit systems are passenger vehicles,
passenger vans, light- and medium-duty shuttle buses, medium- and heavy-duty transit
buses, and school buses. Table 11 shows common transit vehicle types and essential
information on size, cost, and life expectancy. The general information and delineations
between categories discussed below are generic descriptions for vehicle type
classification.
A key distinction among light- and medium-duty buses are the “shuttle” versus “transit”
configuration.
Shuttle Bus Configuration
A shuttle bus is built of a mass-produced “stripped chassis” or “cutaway” platform that is
derived from a domestic truck or van chassis (such as Dodge, Ford, General Motors).
These chassis include a cab, powertrain, frame, suspension, wheels, brakes, and driveline
but do not have a typical truck or van body built over the back of the frame. Instead, a
specialty manufacturer will build a shuttle bus passenger compartment on the stripped
chassis. Shuttle buses are sometimes referred to as “high floor buses” or “cutaways” due to
having the passenger compartment built on top of the stripped chassis.
The raised passenger compartment requires steps to enter and exit, and accessibility
compliance is commonly achieved with a wheelchair lift at the back of the vehicle. The
shuttle bus typically has a shorter rated life expectancy than an equivalent capacity transit
23
The 2014 inventory used replacement costs and expected life assumptions based on the Federal Transit Administration:
Useful Life of Transit Buses and Vans – April 2007.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 45
bus option. However, the shuttle bus options are less expensive to build and buy, offering
an economical choice for transit systems.
Transit Bus Configuration
The transit bus is built as a dedicated platform by the vehicle manufacturer for transit
operations. Typical manufacturers include Build Your Dream, El Dorado, Gillig, Bluebird,
New Flyer, NA Bus Industries, and Proterra. The frame, engine, drivetrain, suspension,
brakes, and other Significant components, like the frame, engine, drivetrain, suspension,
and brakes, and detail components, like doors and electronics, are built to a more robust
standard to survive operations in urban, continuous transit environments.
The frame and chassis are more costly to build due to their lower volume,
24
dedicated
design, robust construction, and a “low floor” configuration. The lower floor provides
access to the vehicle for most uses, and most vehicles have a deployable accessible ramp.
As a result of their construction, transit buses are nearly twice as expensive as an
equivalently sized shuttle bus. However, transit buses have a longer rated life expectancy
and can survive harder more continuous use.
Some vehicles may cross boundaries between categories. For example, some passenger
vans are built with a transit chassis, and configurations and smaller "light-duty" shuttle-
bus categories are built with transit-style features and even dedicated chassis for battery-
electric options.
Battery-Electric Buses
Given the new nature of battery-electric configurations in shuttle bus and transit bus
applications, there remain critical unknowns as they pertain to long-term performance,
durability, reliability or “uptime,” and their expected life. Electric vehicle manufacturers
promise lower maintenance requirements and longer life expectancies than an internal
combustion engine-powered vehicle.
However, battery-electric transit buses have only become available within the past decade,
and most in operation are yet to reach their rated lifespans. Foothill Transit has operated
battery-electric buses since 2010, partnering with the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory to evaluate the performance of their buses, for which a final report was
published in 2021.
25
Unfortunately, the transit operator has contacted the Federal Transit
Administration requesting to retire several buses early due to costly repairs and poor
reliability, stating their buses were not able to achieve their rated life of 12-years.
26
24
Lower production volumes compared to commercial trucks.
25
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/80022.pdf.
26
https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/07/22/with-50-of-its-buses-inoperable-foothill-transit-searches-for-a-way-to-fix-its-
fle
et/.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 46
Given the uncertainties surrounding component replacement costs and the long-term
durability of battery-electric buses, their expected life in public lands applications is
equivalent to their rated lifespan. A longer life expectancy for public lands use is not
anticipated at this time, as it is often achieved with traditionally fueled vehicles.
Table 13: Summary of vehicles on public lands
Notes: CNG=compressed natural gas; N/A=not applicable
Source: Transit standards
27
updated to reflect NPS typical usage and operating characteristics
Vehicle Type Purchase Cost Rated Life
Expected Life in
Public Lands
(years)
Capacity Fuels
Electric/Small Tram $25,000 – $35,000 N/A 3–5 6–12
Electric
(battery), Gas
Small Engine
Passenger Van, Car,
Truck, SUV
$25,000 – $85,000
5 years
100,000 miles
5–10 (gas/diesel)
5–7 (electric)
6–15
Diesel, Gas,
Electric
Light-Duty Shuttle
$75,000 –
$120,000
7 years
200,000 miles
7–10 (gas/diesel
hybrid)
7 (electric)
12–28
Diesel, Gas,
Hybrid,
Light-Duty Low-Floor
$400,000 –
$475,000
7 years
200,000 miles
(anticipated)
8–10* (electric)
*8-year warranty on
bus and batteries
25–31 Electric
Medium-Duty Shuttle
$100,000 –
$175,000
7 years
200,000 miles
7–10 (gas/diesel
hybrid)
7 (electric)
28–36
Diesel, Gas,
Hybrid
Medium-Duty Transit
$200,000 –
$300,000
10 years
350,000 miles
15–20 (Diesel, Gas,
Propane)
28–40
Diesel, Gas,
Hybrid
Heavy Duty Transit
$475,000 –
$1,200,000
12 years
500,000 miles
20+ (Diesel, CNG,
Hybrid)
12 (electric)
35–45
CNG, Diesel,
Hybrid, Electric
27
Ibid.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 47
Concurrently, a review of vehicle costs on the General Services Administration was
completed to look for current actual costs of vehicles. A comparison with Volpe’s findings
was completed, and the conservative life expectancies and costs were used in the national
transit inventory and are included in the below tables.
Table 14: Vehicle replacement costs (in 2021 dollars) and expected life for nonelectric
vehicles
Notes: CNG=compressed natural gas; N/A=not applicable
Source: Transit standards
28
updated to reflect NPS typical usage and operating characteristics
Vehicle Type
Gas/Diesel/
Biodiesel/
Propane
Replacement Cost
Gas/Diesel/
Biodiesel/
Propane Expected
Life (years)
CNG
Replacement
Cost
CNG
Expected Life
(years)
Passenger Van, Car,
Truck, and SUV
$35,640 5–10 N/A N/A
Light-Duty Shuttle $110,000 7–10 $115,000 10
Medium-Duty Shuttle $150,000 7–10 $150,000 10
Medium-Duty Transit $350,000 15–20 $350,000 20
Heavy-Duty Transit $500,000 20+ $1,250,000 20
School Bus $150,000 15–20 N/A N/A
Tram/Golf Cart N/A 3–5 N/A 11
28
Ibid.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 48
Table 15: Vehicle replacement costs (in 2021 dollars) and expected life for electric
vehicles
Note: N/A=not applicable
Source: Transit standards
29
updated to reflect NPS typical usage and operating characteristics
Vehicle Type
Electric-Hybrid
Replacement
Cost
Electric-
Hybrid
Expected Life
(years)
Electric
Replacement
Cost
Electric Expected
Life
30
(years)
Passenger Van, Car,
Truck, and SUV
$25,000 – $85,000 5–7 $110,000 10
Light-Duty Shuttle $150,000 7 $225,000 12
Medium-Duty Shuttle $500,000 7 $700,000 12
Medium-Duty Transit $700,000 15 $1,000,000 12
Heavy-Duty Transit $1,250,000 12 $1,250,000 12
School Bus N/A 8–10 $500,000 12
Tram/Golf Cart
$25,000 –
$35,0000
3–5
$25,000 –
$35,0000
11
A major recapitalization baselining effort was undertaken as part of the 2019 transit
inventory. The National Park Service vehicle data was exported from the inventory to
determine a calculated replacement year based on the life expectancy and age of each
vehicle. From there, the Parks Transportation Allocation and Tracking System and Project
Management Information System was reviewed for planned replacement and/or
refurbishment projects (tables 12 and 13). Regional coordinators reviewed the plan and
consulted on the draft recapitalization plan presented in this report.
29
The 2014 inventory used replacement costs and expected life assumptions based on the Federal Transit Administration:
Useful Life of Transit Buses and Vans – April 2007.
30
The batteries will need to be replaced prior to the end of the expected life.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 49
Table 16: Recapitalization totals by year
Sources: Estimated recapitalization needs based on transit inventory data, transit standards, Project Management Information
System, Parks Transportation Allocation and Tracking System, and region and park input
Year
Total
Vehicles
Cost
2023 42 $70,050,528.63
2024 36 $15,271,556.93
2025 34 $17,964,160.47
2026 21 $22,563,090.94
2027 20 $18,516,914.26
2028 16 $14,218,771.50
2029 15 $9,614,773.97
2030 17 $7,092,882.85
2031 5 $2,301,720.48
2032 11 $9,402,112.19
2033 11 $15,072,220.34
Total 228 $202,068,732.56
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 50
Appendix G – Air Quality and Emissions
Since 2017, the transit inventory has used an updated methodology to analyze the air
quality and greenhouse gas impacts of NPS transit systems. The analysis uses the US
Environmental Protection Agency’s Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) for
estimating emissions by transit vehicles.
31
MOVES is a state-of-the-science emissions
modeling software that estimates airborne emissions from various on-road vehicles across
several vehicle types at very fine scales. MOVES uses years of direct measurements to
account for how different vehicles, fuel types, road types (e.g., urban versus rural,
highways versus local streets), and emission processes (e.g., running, starting, and idling)
contribute to air pollution. This process allows MOVES to calculate emissions from both
on-road vehicles, such as transit buses, and off-road vehicles, such as waterborne vessels
and trams. Emissions from ferries, boats, and trams were estimated by using similar on-
road engines in MOVES. The latest version of MOVES, MOVES 3.1, was released in
November 2022.
Since MOVES is the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory standard for
emissions analysis, NPS units may use the results to engage directly with other local, state,
and national air quality initiatives, as well as make informed programmatic decisions that
improve resource management and visitor experience in the parks. For a discussion of the
differences between the emissions modeling methods used in years prior to 2017, please
see the NPS Transit Inventory and Performance Report 2017.
32
Pollutants
The following pollutants are included in the 2022 air quality analysis:
Carbon Dioxide (CO
2
)
33
Ca
rbon dioxide is a colorless gas produced through chemical combustion, including
burning fuels to power automobiles and homes. Typically, gasoline combustion emits
more carbon dioxide than other fuels.
Nitrogen Oxides (NO
x
) and Volatile Organic Compounds
Nitrogen oxides are a collection of gaseous molecules containing one nitrogen atom and
several oxygen atoms. As with the other pollutants described here, fuel combustion emits
nitrogen oxides. While upper-atmospheric nitrogen oxides can counteract the warming
31
Latest version of MOVES: https://www.epa.gov/moves/latest-version-motor-vehicle-emission-simulator-moves.
32
The 2017 national transit inventory may be accessed at: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/37306.
33
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Chante (IPCC) 2021, “Climate Change: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of
Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.”
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 51
effects of greenhouse gases, ground-level NO
x
molecules react with other airborne
chemicals to become particles that can cause respiratory conditions in humans.
34
V
olatile organic compounds are a broad category of organic molecules that evaporate at
very low temperatures. Flammable solvents like paint thinners and some household
cleaners, as well as other aromatics including vehicular fuels, all contain volatile organic
compounds. State, local, and federal institutions tightly regulate volatile organic
compounds, as they are easily absorbed into human tissue and can have harmful health
effects.
35
N
itrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are precursors to ozone (O
3
), a highly
reactive gas. Stratospheric ozone forms the protective ozone layer, which deflects harmful
solar radiation away from Earth’s surface. However, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
compounds interact at the surface and produce ground ozone, causing a variety of
negative health effects. Ground-level ozone can also severely harm plants and wildlife, and
because ozone can travel long distances by wind, rural areas may experience high
exposure even with little O
3
production.
36
Ca
rbon Monoxide (CO)
37
C
arbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas released through burning fossil
fuels, though the emissions quantities vary by fuel type. In large quantities, carbon
monoxide can be extremely dangerous for animals and humans because it inhibits the
absorption of oxygen into the bloodstream. While CO toxicity is ordinarily only a concern
indoors, where such quantities easily accumulate, the elderly and those with certain
cardiovascular are at risk of serious health impacts at higher outdoor concentrations. This
often occurs at hot outdoor locations in the presence of numerous running motors, such
as parking lots in summer.
Particulate Matter (PM)
38
Pa
rticulate matter (PM) encompasses solid and liquid particles emitted into the air,
including dust, soot, and aerosolized chemicals. Two categories of particulate matter
concerning regulatory analyses of air quality include those with negative impacts on
respiratory health—inhalable particles 10 micrometers and smaller (PM
10
)—as well as
those 2.5 micrometers and smaller (PM
2.5
). Particulate matter can come from
34
US Environmental Protection Agency, “NO
x
: How Nitrogen Oxides Affect the Way We Live and Breathe.” September
1998
35
Ibid.
36
US Environmental Protection Agency, “Basic Information about Ozone | Ozone Pollution | US EPA.”
37
US Environmental Protection Agency, “Basic Information about Carbon Monoxide (CO) Outdoor Air Pollution | Carbon
Monoxide (CO) Pollution in Outdoor Air | US EPA.”
38
Ibid.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 52
construction sites, roadway wear as tires and heavy vehicles move over them, and burning
fuels. Diesel fuel combustion generally emits more particulate matter than other fuels, and
driving over unpaved surfaces can emit PM
10
particles. Exposure to particulate matter can
cause and aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma; this is especially true of PM
10
particles. PM
2.5
particles are a major contributor to smog, which both obscures views and
damages natural resources.
Results
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on passenger vehicle miles traveled and
transit system operation in parks in 2020 and 2021. However, transit system activity
started to rebound in 2022. Vehicle miles traveled across all regions increased 385% from
2021 and 601% from 2020 levels. The increased emissions level is directly related to the
number of operational systems and increased operations of systems nationwide.
Table 17 shows transit system vehicle miles traveled and ferry hours by region in 2022.
The sections below describe passenger vehicle trips avoided because of transit use, as well
as individual pollutant emissions from transit system fleets by region.
Table 17: Total transit system vehicle miles traveled and ferry hours by region
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Interior Region Vehicle Miles Traveled Ferry Hours
Regions 6, 7, 8 15,700,776 5,706
Region 1 – National
Capital Area
1,359,101 0
Regions 3, 4, 5 59,515 14,168
Region 2 192,969 13,861
Region 11 562,814 824
Region 1 1,586,755 1,276
Regions 8, 9, 10, 12 491,593 8,022
Total 19,953,523 43,857
Diverted Passenger Vehicle Trips and CO
2
Emissions Avoided
Although transit systems contribute to emissions, transit in NPS units typically has a net
positive effect on air quality, as well as the visitor experience. Transit use reduces the
number of vehicle trips in parks—for example, transit buses carry more people per square
foot of road space, relieving congestion on park roads and eliminating associated fuel-
inefficient driving behaviors, such as extended idling and stop-and-go. In addition to the
air quality benefits of reduced fuel use per visitor, expanded transit use influences how
visitors spend their time in the park and removes long lines of cars from viewsheds.
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 53
Figure 14 shows the estimated number of vehicle trips eliminated because of transit use in
each region. The number of passenger vehicle trips diverted is calculated by dividing the
total number of passenger boardings by the average occupancy of visitors’ personal
vehicles (assumed to be 2.6). Emissions avoided are calculated as the vehicle miles traveled
avoided multiplied by a passenger vehicle emissions factor (EF
p
) for a given pollutant,
assuming that the passenger vehicles use conventional gasoline fuel.
39
N
ational Park Service transit services eliminated an estimated 10.2 million passenger
vehicle trips in 2022, which equates to 617 million fewer miles driven and a reduction in
carbon dioxide emissions of 213,656 metric tons.
40
Interior Regions with higher transit
use and more boardings, namely Region 1 and Regions 6, 7 and 8, experience more
personal vehicles diverted from the road. Figure 15 shows the carbon dioxide emissions
avoided per region.
41
F
igure 14: Vehicle trips (in millions) avoided because of NPS transit systems
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2021 NPS transit inventory data
39
Total transit VMT is calculated as the on-road VMT only, while total transit runs includes runs for all vehicle types.
40
Transit systems helped divert nearly 44,000 metric tons of CO
2
in 2020 and 177,000 metric tons in 2019.
41
The average vehicle miles traveled per run across all regions was used to calculate region-specific CO
2
emissions avoided.
4.25
3.06
1.86
292k
526k
137k
78k
0
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
IR 6, 7, 8 IR 1 IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 2 - SAG IR 1 - NCA IR 11 IR 3, 4, 5
Diverted Passenger Trips (millions)
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 54
Table 18: Diverted passenger trips and CO
2
emissions avoided
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Item IR 6, 7, 8 IR 1 IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 2 IR 1 – NCA IR 11 IR 3, 4, 5
Diverted
Passenger
Vehicle Trips
4,252,958 3,056,135 1,856,664 292,288 526,570 136,927 78,264
CO
2
Emissions
Avoided
(metric tons)
96,592 69,410 42,168 6,638 11,959 3,110 1,778
Figure 15: Carbon dioxide emissions avoided (in metric tons) per regions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
96,592
69,410
42,168
6,638
11,959
3,110
1,778
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
IR 6, 7, 8 IR 1 IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 2 - SAG IR 1 - NCA IR 11 IR 3, 4, 5
CO
2
Emissions Avoided (metric tons)
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 55
Criteria Pollutant Emissions Inventories
The following section details the emissions inventories for criteria pollutants and their
precursors across the fleets operating in national parks. Vehicle fuel type and terrain type
were observed to influence the emissions results. Diesel use results in a different pollution
profile than alternative fuels, buses contribute differently than cars, heavy-duty ferries
pollute differently than automobiles, and heavy engine loads on unpaved surfaces require
more fuel and generate more road dust from brake and tire wear compared to paved
roads. However, fewer vehicles burning fuel has a net positive effect on local air quality in
national parks.
Table 19: Comparison of emission results
Source: 2020–2022 NPS transit inventory data
Metrics 2020 2021 2022
Change 2022
vs. 2021
(percent)
Change 2022
vs. 2020
(percent)
Number of Operating
Systems
66 63 81 29% 23%
Count of Vehicles 913 803 817 2% -11%
Miles Traveled 3,408,710 4,925,288 19,953,523 305% 485%
Ferry Hours 19,735 38,409 43,857 14% 122%
Carbon Dioxide Emissions 12,873.50 22,491 54,291.98 141% 322%
Nitrogen Oxide Emissions 90.18 187.68 319.8 70% 255%
Volatile Organic
Compound Emissions
8.10 20.60 35.40 72% 337%
Carbon Monoxide
Emissions
91.18 183.27 370.10 102% 306%
Particulate Matter 2.5 1.79 3.81 6.26 64% 250%
Particulate Matter 10 2.13 4.29 8.08 88% 279%
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 56
Figure 16 shows the results of MOVES carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions modeling for 2022
NPS transit system activity, aggregated to the regional level. The results are also split by
ownership (NPS versus non-NPS systems). Across all regions, NPS transit fleets emitted
24,163 metric tons of CO
2
in 2022. Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8 have the highest vehicle
miles traveled of all the regions, thus resulting in high CO
2
emissions. However, Interior
Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12 have the highest CO
2
emissions, due to a high proportion of
ferries using marine diesel, which produces more CO
2
than the diesel used in on-road
vehicles. In comparing CO
2
emitted by transit systems versus CO
2
emissions from
passenger vehicles avoided due to transit use, there is a total net reduction in CO
2
of
11,959 metric tons across all regions.
Figure 16: NPS transit system carbon dioxide emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
20,505
89
1,743
95
1,731
882
16,648
3,667
3,575
2,615
2,267
476
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
IR 6, 7, 8 IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 11 IR 2 - SAG IR 1 - NCA IR 1
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 57
Figure 17 shows the results of MOVES nitrous oxide (NO
x
) emissions modeling for 2022
NPS transit system activity, split by ownership. Across all regions, NPS transit fleets
emitted 93 metric tons of NO
x
in 2022. Like the CO
2
emissions, Interior Regions 8, 9, 10
and 12 (Pacific West Region) have high NO
x
emissions, due to the large number of ferries
operating in the region, while Interior Regions 7, 8, and 9 have the highest NO
x
emissions,
due to the region having highest overall vehicles miles traveled.
Figure 17: NPS transit system nitrogen oxide emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
0.41
59.43
21.90
0.12
11.13
154.83
1.06
31.43
21.09
12.71
0.76
4.51
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 6, 7, 8 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 11 IR 2 - SAG IR 1 IR 1 - NCA
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 58
Figure 18 shows the results of MOVES volatile organic compound emissions modeling for
2022 NPS transit system activity, split by vehicle ownership. Across all regions, NPS transit
fleets emitted 10.3 metric tons of volatile organic compounds in 2022. Volatile organic
compounds combine with other airborne compounds, including NO
x
, to produce ozone
and photochemical smog.
The NPS fleet in Interior Region 2 emits the highest amounts of volatile organic
compounds, as this region has a substantial proportion of vehicles powered by marine
diesel and propane. Similarly, the non-NPS fleet in Interior Regions 8, 9, 10 and 12
consists of a large proportion of ferries and boats powered by marine diesel. The heavy
use of propane-fueled vehicles in the Interior Regions 6, 7 and 8 NPS-owned fleet, as well
as the decreased efficiency of propane combustion at higher altitudes, where there is less
oxygen, results in greater volatile organic compounds.
Figure 18: NPS transit system volatile organic compound emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
0.15
0.04
6.18
1.10
2.84
10.69
10.26
0.11
2.13
0.08
1.65
0.18
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
IR 2 - SAG IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 6, 7, 8 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 1 IR 11 IR 1 - NCA
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 59
Figure 19 shows the results of MOVES carbon monoxide (CO) emissions modeling for
2022 NPS transit system activity, split by vehicle ownership. Across all regions, NPS transit
fleets emitted approximately 180 metric tons of carbon monoxide in 2022. The Grand
Canyon’s heavy use of compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueled buses and shuttles
contributes significantly to Interior Region 6, 7 and 8’s high relative carbon monoxide
emissions. Compressed natural gas buses emit substantially more carbon monoxide than
conventional fuels but 50% less NO
x
. Since NO
x
is an ozone precursor, CNG-fueled
vehicles are ideal for minimizing smog—a key consideration in parks with long-distance
viewsheds. The large number of propane-powered transit vehicles operated at higher
altitudes in Interior Regions 6, 7 and 8 also contributes to increased carbon monoxide
emissions.
Figure 19: NPS transit system carbon monoxide emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
162.72
2.09
0.11
7.77
7.18
3.03
140.32
32.07
6.84
0.66
5.63
1.69
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
IR 6, 7, 8 IR 2 - SAG IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 1 IR 11 IR 1 - NCA
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 60
Figure 20 shows the results of MOVES PM
2.5
emissions modeling for 2022 NPS transit
system activity, split by ownership. Across all regions, NPS transit fleets emitted
approximately 1.8 metric tons of PM
2.5
in 2022. Breathing air with high levels of PM
2.5
can
result in adverse health impacts, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and
asthma.
Ferries that run on marine diesel, as well as buses fueled by propane, emit significantly
more particulate matter than vehicles powered by other fuels. Several parks in Interior
Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12 include exclusively marine transit fleets, and the Pictured Rocks
Cruises ferry fleet contributes the majority of the Interior Region 3, 4, and 5 PM
2.5
emissions. In Interior Regions 6, 7, and 8, ferries at Glen Canyon and Grant Teton and the
propane bus fleet at Zion increase PM
2.5
emissions in this region.
Figure 20: NPS transit system PM
2.5
emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
0.01
0.46
0.88
0.41
3.21
0.60
0.01
0.02
0.37
0.22
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 6, 7, 8 IR 1 IR 11 IR 2 - SAG
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 61
Figure 21 shows the results of MOVES PM
10
emissions modeling for 2022 NPS transit
system activity, split by ownership. Across all regions, NPS transit fleets emitted about 3.2
metric tons of PM
10
in 2022. Some regions produce more PM
10
than PM
2.5
, in part due to
transit systems operating on unpaved roads, which can result in release of larger particles
as fugitive dust.
Figure 21: NPS transit system PM
10
emissions
Notes: IR=Interior Region; NCA=National Capital Area; NPS=National Park Service
Source: 2022 NPS transit inventory data
Across all pollutant types, the majority of emissions came from non-NPS vehicles rather
than NPS vehicles. Additionally, Interior Regions 6, 7 and 8 and Interior Regions 8, 9, 10
and 12 generally had the highest emissions compared to the other regions. CO
2
emissions
were far greater than any of the other pollutants on the basis of mass, which is consistent
with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2017 National Emissions Inventory.
42
Nonetheless, emissions from NPS vehicles in 2021 had a minimal impact on the national
inventory. In particular, volatile organic compounds, PM
2.5
, and PM
10
emissions from NPS
vehicles were negligible compared to any other sector and major emitting source in the
national emissions inventory (e.g., agriculture, power generation).
42
US Environmental Protection Agency. 2017 National Emissions Inventory Data: https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-
inventories/2017-n
ational-emissions-inventory-nei-data.
0.02
2.15
0.48
0.54
3.34
0.06
0.61
0.05
0.41
0.24
0.19
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
IR 8, 9, 10, 12 IR 6, 7, 8 IR 3, 4, 5 IR 1 IR 11 IR 2 - SAG IR 1 - NCA
Emissions (tons)
NPS Vehicles Non-NPS Vehicles
NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 62
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