Two NPS Transportation Studies

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Social Science Division

Expedited Approval for NPS- Sponsored Public Surveys
1.

Project Title ⎢
Submission Date:

2.

Abstract:

Colonial National Historical Park
Shuttle Service Awareness and Marketing Survey
February 24, 2010
In 2004 Colonial National Historical Park initiated a demonstration shuttle service that
linked key visitor attractions in the area, including the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor
Center, Historic Jamestowne, and Yorktown. The park plans to operate the service through
2010. In 2009, the park evaluated the service over a multi-year period and developed a
business plan for continuation of service beyond FY 2010. A significant recommendation
from the business plan was to improve targeted marketing efforts for the shuttle service. In
order to make informed decisions regarding which marketing efforts to invest in, the park
needs more information on how Colonial NHP visitors obtain travel information and how
they make the decision to utilize the shuttle. This survey of non-users of the shuttle system
will provide valuable data for targeted marketing efforts a nd provide feedback that can be
used to improve alternative transportation service at Colonial NHP.
(not to exceed 150 words)

3.

Principal Investigator Contact Information
First Name:
Title:
Affiliation:

Street Address:
City:

4.

Last Name:

Margaret

Petrella

Social Scientist
Volpe National Transportation Systems
Center
55 Broadway
Cambridge

Phone:

617.494.3582

Email:

[email protected]

State:
Fax:

MA

Zip code:

617.494.2787

Park or Program Liaison Contact Information
First Name:

Dorothy

Title:

Landscape Architect

Park:

Colonial National Historical Park

Park
Office/Division:

National Capital Regional Office

Street Address:

Last Name:

10815 George Washington Highway

Geyer

02142

City:

State:

Yorktown

Phone:

757.898.2433

Fax:

Email:

[email protected]

Zip code:

VA

23690

757.898.7856

Project Information
5.

Park(s) Where Research
is to be Conducted:

Colonial National Historical Park

6.

Survey Dates:

7/8/2010

7.

Type of Information Collection Instrument (Check ALL that Apply)

8.

‰

Mail- Back
Questionnaire

‰

Other (explain)
Survey Justification:
(Use as much space as
needed; if necessary
include additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

X On- Site
Questionnaire

(mm/dd/yyyy)

‰

to

Face- toFace
Interview

7/10/2010

‰

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Telephone
Survey

‰

Focus Groups

Social science research in support of park planning and management is mandated in the
NPS Management Policies 2006 (Section 8.11.1, “Social Science Studies”). The NPS
pursues a policy that facilitates social science studies in support of the NPS mission to
protect resources and enhance the enjoyment of present and future generations
(National Park Service Act of 1916, 38 Stat 535, 16 USC 1, et seq.). NPS policy
mandates that social science research will be used to provide an understanding of park
visitors, the non-visiting public, gateway communities and regions, and human
interactions with park resources. Such studies are needed to provide a scientific basis
for park planning, development, operations, management, education, and interpretive
activities.
Background and Literature Review. This is a survey of non-users of the shuttle system
at Colonial NHP (COLO). The park began a demonstration shuttle service in 2004 and
expanded the service in 2005. Full-service operation began in April 2006. Having
conducted a survey and study in 2009 examining how shuttle riders learned about,
utilized, and valued the shuttle system, NPS management at COLO now wishes to learn
about the preferences of non-riders, including those visitors who prefer to use personal
automobiles within the park.
COLO has not conducted systematic survey research to obtain feedback from shuttle
non-riders. In developing this survey, staff reviewed the previous studies conducted at
COLO, including a 2001 visitor study (Visitor Services Project, Report #126), the ATS
Feasibility Study (2004), the Alternative Transportation System Evaluation and
Business Plan (2010, pending) and the Shuttle Service Survey Report (2010, pending).
The 2001 visitor study conducted by the NPS Visitor Services Project surveyed visitors
at the Jamestown Visitor Center parking lot and the Glasshouse parking lot. The study
provided data on visitor demographics, trip and visit characteristics, but it did not deal
with alternative transportation issues in the park.
As part of its Alternative Transportation System Feasibility Study, another COLO
visitor survey was conducted in 2002. The purpose of this stated preference survey was
to identify the key factors influencing the choice of bus use by visitors to the area and
to use that information to estimate potential demand for these services. In the survey,
respondents were presented with 3 scenarios describing various combinations of travel
and wait time, user cost, and other service options for travel by auto and shuttle bus and
asked to choose auto or transit as the preferred mode of travel. The study found that a

Parkway Shuttle was likely to achieve a 15-25% visitor capture rate, while a properly
designed internal loop road shuttle was likely to attract 40-50% of total loop road users.
Results of the survey were also used to inform the development of marketing strategies
for the service.
The 2010 Shuttle Service Survey Report describes the results of a survey asking riders
how they learned about the shuttle system, what motivated them to ride shuttles, how
they used the system their positive and negative reactions to the service. The survey
found that riders expressed a very high level of satisfaction with the shuttle service.
Those who had driven a personal vehicle to the area indicated that the shuttle service
was preferable to using their own vehicles in the park. Riders’ responses suggested that
most were unaware of the shuttle system prior to arriving in the Colonial Williamsburg
area. Given the high level of satisfaction with the service, there may be significant
numbers of visitors to COLO who would use the shuttles if they were aware of its
existence before arriving and know how to best use it.
The proposed survey seeks to understand the extent to which non-riders know about the
existence of the Colonial NHP shuttle service, why non-riders who are aware of the
shuttle make the decision not to ride, and how non-riders could be influenced to
become riders.

9.

Survey Methodology:
(Use as much space as
needed; if necessary
include additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

(a) Respondent universe:
Because the main purpose of the survey is to understand the information sources and
decision-making processes of non-riders, the respondent universe consists of all visitor
groups (adults age 18+) at the park who did not use the shuttle system during the survey
period.
(b) Sampling plan/procedures:
The procedures for sampling will include the selection of a 3-day block (a Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday) during the peak tourist season in mid-July through August 2010.
The timing of the survey will capture different types of visitors, such as day visitors, as
well as visitors who are in the area for a longer period of time.
Because of the layout of COLO, the survey will be administered at several different
venues. Because visitors could conceivably visit one attraction of the park without
visiting another, it is necessary to sample the two main attractions – the Historic
Jamestowne Visitor Center and the Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center.
Interviewers will be located between the parking lots and the visitor centers at both
Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield. Interviewers will ask 2 introductory
screening questions: i) has the visitor group utilized the shuttle service, and ii) has the
visitor already taken the survey? If either answer is affirmative, the visitor group will be
disqualified from completing the survey. If both answers are negative, the interviewer
will identify a random member of the visitor group (using the closest-birthday selection
method) to complete the 1-page survey and collect it when he or she is done. The
interviewers will try to intercept every other group. Groups that refuse to participate
will be replaced by the next group.
The survey will be administered between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on each of the 3
sampling days. These are the hours during which the COLO shuttle system operates.
During July 2008, an estimated 44,250 visitors (roughly 1,430 per day) visited COLO,
and the shuttle system logged roughly 24,000 individual trips. Because the shuttle
system logs trips rather than individuals, and because most riders would make at least 2
shuttle trips (a “to” trip and a “from” trip), the number of individual passengers during
this period is estimated at 12,000. Thus, an estimated 1,040 non-riders visited the park
daily during July 2008, calculated as follows: (44,250 visitors – 12,000 riders) / 31
days. If visitation and ridership are similar in 2010, an estimated 975 groups will visit

COLO during the 3-day survey period. If the survey team approaches every other
visiting group, it can expect to intercept roughly 487 groups.
Visitation data suggests Jamestown visitation is 60% of total visitation to the park and
Yorktown visitation represents 40% of total visitation during this period. Thus, the
survey team would be larger at Jamestown than at Yorktown.
(c) Instrument administration:
Self-administered survey: Staff from the Volpe National Transportation System Center
(Volpe Center) will act as surveyors throughout the 3-day survey period. At each of the
2 intercept sites, surveyors will distribute surveys to a randomly selected adult from
each visitor group.
At both Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield, surveyors will intercept visitors
as they arrive at the respective visitor centers from the parking lots. Volpe Center staff
will approach sampled people with the following greeting:
Good morning/afternoon. The National Park Service is conducting a brief survey
regarding your experience today. The survey is voluntary, and is being conducted
to help improve transportation services at Colonial National Historical Park. It
takes about 3 minutes to complete. Have you taken this survey at another time this
weekend? If yes: Thanks a lot! Have a nice visit! If no: Have you ridden the
Colonial NHP shuttle system during your trip? If yes: Thanks a lot! Have a nice
visit! If no: Would you be willing to take 3 minutes of your time to participate?
Remember, all responses are anonymous.. If yes: Thank you.
(d) Expected response rate/confidence levels:

Based on prior experience at Colonial NHP with the 2001 Colonial National Historical
Park-Jamestown Island Visitor Study, the expected response rate is 75%. Thus, the
expected number of potential respondents over the 3 survey days is approximately 365.
This number will permit the survey to provide estimates of proportions with precision
of +/- 5.1 percentage points with 95 percent confidence.
(e) Strategies for dealing with potential non- response bias:
Non-response will be tested by comparing characteristics of the sample population with
selected observable characteristics of non-respondents. The date, time, and group
characteristics of passengers refusing the survey will be recorded and reported on a
survey log. The results of the check for non-response bias will be reported, and the
implications of non-response bias (if any) for park planning will be discussed.
(f) Description of any pre- testing and peer review of the methods and/or instrument
(recommended):

Quality control and internal US DOT and NPS staff peer review has been undertaken.
Revisions to the survey were made based on feedback from Volpe Center staff,
Colonial NHP staff, and park partners.
The survey team conducted a similar survey during a similar survey period in 2009.
The team is familiar with the park and visitation and pedestrian patterns.
10.

Total Number of
Initial Contacts |
Expected Respondents:

13.

Reporting Plan:

487

365

11.

Estimated Time to
Complete Initial
Contact |
Instrument (mins.):

1

3

12.

Total
Burden
Hours:

26

The survey results will be analyzed and a formal final technical report will be prepared
for Colonial NHP. In particular, Colonial NHP is interested in learning the extent to
which non-riders know about the existence of the Colonial NHP shuttle service, how
non-riders who are aware of the shuttle make the decision not to ride, and how non-

riders could be influenced to become riders. Subgroup analysis will be performed on
these key questions to assess differences by type and size of personal group. In addition
to the technical report, a briefing may be presented to NPS management at Colonial
NHP. A copy of the formal technical report will be archived with the NPS Social
Science Division. The results of the survey will be used to inform future targeted
marketing efforts for the Colonial NHP shuttle system.
Bibliography
Simmons, Todd and Margaret Littlejohn, “Colonial National Historical Park- Jamestown Island Visitor Study,” Visitor
Services Project, Report 126 (March 2002).
URS Corporation and Cambridge Systematics, “Alternative Transportation System Study, Phase Two Final Report, Colonial
National Historical Park,” Prepared for the National Park Service (March 2004).
U.S. DOT Volpe Center, “Colonial National Historical Park: Shuttle Service Survey Report,” Prepared for the National Park
Service (2010, pending publication).
U.S. DOT Volpe Center, “Colonial National Historical Park: Alternative Transportation System Evaluation and Business
Plan,” Prepared for the National Park Service (2010, pending publication).

OMB: XXXX-XXXX
Expiration:_________

INTERVIEWER:
LOCATION: _____ Historic Jamestowne VC _____ Yorktown VC

Colonial National Historical Park: Visitor Survey
To help the National Park Service improve the transportation system at Colonial NHP, please take a few minutes to
answer the following questions. Thank you for your participation!
Please fill out one survey per family or group

1. Including yourself, how many people in your personal travel group are: [1. Variation AGE3]
____ 2 years and under

____ 6-12 years

____ 19-29 years

____ 45-64 years

____ 3-5 years

____ 13-18 years

____ 30-44 years

____ 65 or older

2. Prior to this visit, what information sources did you use to plan your trip to Colonial NHP? (Check all that apply) [2.
TPLAN11]








None
National Park Service website
Visitor guidebook
Previous visit
Family or friends
Brochure or pamphlet from visitor sites
Other source: __________________

 Historic Triangle Website (www.historictriangle.com)
 Visit Williamsburg website
(www.visitwilliamsburg.com) or 1-800 number
 Williamsburg Hotel and Motel Association website
(www.gowilliamsburg.com) or 1-800 number
 Colonial Williamsburg website
(www.history.org) or 1-800 number

3. Are you aware of the shuttle service that provides transportation from Colonial Williamsburg to Historic Jamestowne
sites and to Yorktown Battlefield? [Topic Area 1, Individual Characteristics]
____ Yes

____ No (Go to Question 4)

3a. How did you hear about this service? (Check all that apply) [Topic Area 1, Individual Characteristics]






Staff at visitor sites
Hotel/motel/timeshare/campsite staff
Saw shuttle bus or signs for the service
Brochure or pamphlet from visitor sites
Previous visits







Visitor guidebook
Family or friends (word of mouth)
National Park Service website
Tourism website or 1-800 number
Other: _____________________

3b. What factors influenced your decision not to take the shuttle? [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of Their Park
Experiences]

________________________________________________________________________________
IF YOU ANSWERED “NO” TO QUESTION 3 (YOU ARE UNAWARE OF THE SHUTTLE), PLEASE ANSWER
QUESTION 4.
4. A free shuttle service provides transportation from Colonial Williamsburg to Historic Jamestowne sites and Yorktown
Battlefield. The service arrives every 30 minutes and provides recorded historical information along the way.
4a. Now that you know a little about the shuttle, would you be willing to take it? [Topic Area 6, Individual
Perceptions of Their Park Experiences]
___ Yes
____ No
____ Not Sure
4b. If NO or NOT SURE, why or why not? [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of Their Park Experiences]
________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your help in completing this survey.

INTERVIEWER:
LOCATION: _____ Historic Jamestowne VC _____ Yorktown VC

OMB: XXXX-XXXX
Expiration:_________

16 U.S.C. 1a-7 authorizes collection of this information. This information will be used by park managers to better serve the public.
Response to this request is voluntary. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. An agency
may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number.
BURDEN ESTIMATE STATEMENT: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 3 minutes per response. Direct
comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to:
Dorothy Geyer
Landscape Architect
Colonial National Historical Park
10815 George Washington Highway
Yorktown, VA 23690
[email protected]

Thank you for your help in completing this survey.

COLONIAL NHP SURVEY LOG
TIME: ______________

DATE: ___/___/___

DATA COLLECTOR: _________________________________
WEATHER: _________________________________________
LOCATION: ________________________
|-------------Group Characteristics--------------------|
Contact
Time

Survey I.D. #

Refused

Previously
Surveyed

Group
Size

Personal Group or
Organized Group

# of Children under
18 Present

Comments: Explain reason for refusal