Visitor Transit Survey to Inform Park Planning at Yellowstone National Park

OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration: XX/XX/XXXX

Yellowstone National Park
Visitor Transit Survey

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are
collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. We are authorized by the National Park
Service Protection Interpretation and research in System (54 USC §100702) to collect this information. The routine uses of this
information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in Yellowstone National Park in future initiatives related
to the visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and
expectations during their visit at Yellowstone National Park. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will
remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. All contact
information collected for the purpose of the follow-up survey will be destroyed at the end of the collection period and no
personal identifiable records will be maintained or stored for any purposes. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates
and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number (1024-0224). We
estimate that it will take about 6 minutes to complete this on-site questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the
burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Will Rice, University of Montana,
[email protected] (email); or David Pettebone, National Park Servce, [email protected] (email).

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

YELL VISITOR SURVEY: INTERCEPT SURVEY
SURVEYOR TO COMPLETE:
Surveyor name:
Survey Site
Geyser Corridor

 Midway
 Old Faithful
Canyon Area

 Canyon Village
 North Rim
INTERCEPT OPENING SCRIPT
First, determine if visitor is eligible:
“Hello, I am working with Yellowstone National Park conducting a 6-minute survey to better understand visitor
perceptions of potential future management options for the park. May I ask you several questions about these
potential actions?
 If the visitor says YES, read the following script:

Before we begin, I would like to let you know that this survey has been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget. It is important to note that a Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it has a valid OMB control
number. The control number for this collection is XXXX-XXXX and this number is valid through
XX/XX/XXXX. Secondly, your participation is voluntary and your name will never be connected with
your individual responses. This survey will only take about six minutes of your time today. [Full Privacy
/Paperwork Reduction Act and Burden Statements will be available for respondents to read on the
tablet.]
 If the visitor says NO, read the following script:

Ok, may I ask three quick questions?
 If the visitor says NO, thank them for their time.
 If the visitor says YES, ask the non-response bias questions: See questions 1, 2 and 3 below.

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Area 1: GROUP4

1. How many people were in your [personal, organized, tour] group, including you?
____ Number of people

Topic Area 1: GROUP1

2. Please select the choice below that best describes your traveling party. (Please select all that
apply)


Individual Traveling alone



Preschoolers (less than 5 years old)



Family only



Teen agers (12-19)



Friends only



Adults (20-64)



Family plus friends



Anyone over 65



Tour or other group



With pets

Topic Area 1: RES1

3. Which of the following best describes your residency of the counties directly bordering
Yellowstone National Park (i.e., Teton County, WY; Park County, WY; Fremont County, ID;
Gallatin County, MT; Park County, MT)? Check one.
 Permanent Resident
 Seasonal Resident (returning annually for 1-6 months)
 Not a Resident
Topic Area 1: RES2

4. Are you a permanent resident or citizen of the United States?
☐ NO - What is your country of origin? _______________________
☐ YES - What is your zip code and state of residence
State_____________ Zip code ______________
Topic Area 1: RES7

5. In what type of community do you now live? (Please select one response)
 on a farm or ranch
 rural or small town (under 1000 population)
 town (1000 to 5000 population)
 small city (5000 to 50,000 population)
 medium city (50,000 to 1 million population)
 in a major city or metropolitan area (over 1 million population)

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Area 1: AGE1

6. What is your age? _________
Topic Area 4: TRAFFIC5

7. Overall, compared to what you expected, how much traffic congestion did you experience
during your visit to this location within Yellowstone National Park?
 I didn’t know what to expect
 Less traffic congestion than I expected
 About the same as I expected
 More traffic congestion than I expected
Topic Area 4: TRAFFIC8

8. Where did you park at this location within Yellowstone National Park?
 Parking lot
 On side of the road
 In a pull-out further away and walked
Topic Area 4: TRAFFIC9

9. Approximately how much time did you spend in waiting in traffic to park at this location within
Yellowstone National Park?

I have not been delayed.

21-30 minutes

Less than 5 minutes

31-44 minutes

5-10 minutes

45-60 minutes

11-20 minutes

More than 1 hour
Topic Area 4: PARKING18 (Variation: Added site-specific response options and modified wording to focus on
parking areas instead of entrance stations.)

Disagree

Neither

Agree

…allowed to enter Yellowstone National Park and drive around until a parking
space opens up.







 

…stopped at the entrance station until some parking spaces
open up and only then allowed to enter.







 

…directed to park at the lot near the entrance station and ride
a shuttle bus into Yellowstone National Park.







 

When parking lots in Yellowstone National Park are full people should be…

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

10. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about potential actions when
parking lots in this location within Yellowstone National Park are full? (Check one box for each
item.)

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Disagree

Neither

Agree

…directed to a park-and-ride lot outside of Yellowstone National Park and ridea
shuttle bus into this park.







 

…directed to other recreation areas instead of visiting Yellowstone National
Park that day.







 

When parking lots in Yellowstone National Park are full people should be…

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Topic Area 3: FVIS13

11. If you were to visit Yellowstone National Park in the future, if a transit (bus) service existed, with
service to the park’s major destinations, how likely would it be that you would use such a
service? (check only one)
Not at all
Likely

Slightly
likely

Moderately
Likely

Very
Likely

Extremely
Likely

Undecided













If you answered “Not at all likely” or “Slightly likely”, why might you not be interested in using it?

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Area 8: MGMTOPT13 (Variation: Added NPS site specific response options and modified quesiton wording
to specify “at this location.”)

Strongly
Support

Don’ t Know/
Not Sure

3

4

5

DK

1

2

3

4

5

DK

1

2

3

4

5

DK

Advanced Reservations for Private Vehicle Permits (with
shuttle option):
• Same as the previous option, except
anyone could still access this area via a free shuttle.
First-come, First-served for Private Vehicles:
• Attempt access to this area of the park on a firstcome, first served basis.
• Those not able to obtain a parking spot could not
visit this area at their desired time.
First-come, First-served for Private Vehicles (with
shuttle option):
• Same as the previous option, except
anyone could still access this area via a free shuttle.

1

2

3

4

5

DK

1

2

3

4

5

DK

1

2

3

4

5

DK

Support

2

Oppose

1

Strongly
Oppose
Lottery for Private Vehicle Permits:
• Apply for a trip date of your choice for a visit to this
area of the park
• Applicants would be selected at random for those
days when applications exceeded the limit.
• Those not able to obtain a permit could not visit this
area at their desired time.
Lottery for Private Vehicle Permits (with shuttle
option):
• Same as the previous option, except
anyone could still access the area via a free shuttle.
Advanced Reservations for Private Vehicle Permits:
• Attempt to purchase a permit online (from a limited
number available) prior to your trip to visit this area
of the park during the summer season.
• Those not able to obtain a reservation could not visit
this area at their desired time.

Neither Support
Nor Oppose

12. Please indicate the extent to which you would support or oppose each of the following
potential management actions at this location within Yellowstone National Park.

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Area 4: TRANSERV5

13. In your opinion, at what point is the wait time for a shuttle bus no longer acceptable?
Number of minutes

OR

The wait time doesn’t matter to me

Topic Area 4: TRANSERV18

Not at all
important

Slightly
important

Moderately
important

Very
important

Extremely
important

14. How important are the following regarding any future shuttle systems in Yellowstone National
Park? Please select one response for each characteristic.

Information on where to board shuttle

1

2

3

4

5

Clear signage and directions to shuttle parking area

1

2

3

4

5

Clear route information displayed on each shuttle

1

2

3

4

5

Easy, convenient parking for shuttle

1

2

3

4

5

Frequency of shuttle service

1

2

3

4

5

Increased hours of shuttle operation

1

2

3

4

5

Comfort, not crowded

1

2

3

4

5

Space for personal items (i.e., gear, strollers, coolers)

1

2

3

4

5

Knowing amount of reduced air pollution from not driving in
Yellowstone National Park

1

2

3

4

5

Increased wait times for parking in Yellowstone National Park

1

2

3

4

5

Knowing you are reducing traffic congestion in Yellowstone
National Park

1

2

3

4

5

On-board orientation by employee

1

2

3

4

5

Ability to access trailheads

1

2

3

4

5

Topic Area 5: EXP2

15. What about this area of Yellowstone National Park added to your expected experience?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

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OMB Number: 1024-0224
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Area 5: EXP3

16. What about this area of Yellowstone National Park detracted from your expected experience?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Interviewer script:
Thank you for your time.

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