Understanding Transportation-related Effects on Visitor Experience Quality in Mount Rainier and Denali National Parks

 
OMB Control Number: 1024‐0224 
Current Expiration Date: 6/30/2011

Instrument F – Transportation Effects on
Decisions to Use Park Shuttle Service – MORA
2011

ID: ________

Location:_______________________

Date: ______________

Time:___________AM/PM

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A. Trip Description

1.

Including yourself, how many people are in your personal group today? [Topic Area 1. GR3]
____________ Number of people

2.

Are there any children under the age of 16 in your group today? (Check one.)
[Topic Area 1. VARIATION GR3]
Yes (__________ Number of children)
No

3.

Which of the following activities have you or do you plan to do during this visit to
Mount Rainier National Park? (Check all that apply.) [Topic Area 3. VARIATION ACT18]
Day hike
Bicycle
Picnic
Drive to view scenery
View wildflowers
View wildlife
Take photographs
Visit a visitor center
Play in the snow
Backpack
Mountaineer/climb
Attend a park service naturalist program
Tour Longmire Museum
Camp overnight in a campground
Stay overnight at Longmire Inn or Paradise Lodge
Shop for souvenirs
Eat at one of the eating establishments within the park
Other (Please specify:____________________________)

4.

Which of the activities listed in Question 3 would you consider to be your primary
activity during this visit? [Topic Area 3. ACT23]
_______________________ Primary activity
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5.

Which of the following locations have you or do you plan to visit during this trip to
Mount Rainier National Park? (Check all that apply.) [Topic Area 3. ACT19]
Westside Road
Longmire
Comet Falls
Cougar Rock
Ricksecker Point
Paradise area
Ohanapecosh
Tipsoo Lake
White River
Box Canyon
Sunrise area
Carbon River area
Mowich Lake area
Other (Please specify:____________________________)

6.

Which of the following description best fits your group during this visit to Mount
Rainier National Park? (Check one.) [Topic Area 2. VARIATION TPLAN4]
We had not determined any specific destinations to visit before entering the park
Before entering the park we had decided on ONE destination as the focus of our visit
( _______________________ Name of destination)
Before entering the park we had decided on multiple destinations, all of which are
important to our visit
( _______________________ Name of destination)
( _______________________ Name of destination)
( _______________________ Name of destination)
( _______________________ Name of destination)
( _______________________ Name of destination)

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B. The Visitor Experience

7.

Did you know that Mount Rainier has a shuttle bus service that operates during
summer weekends between Ashford, WA and Paradise? [Topic Area 3.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES AND USES OF PARK RESOURCES]
Yes (CONTINUE TO QUESTION 8)
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 10)

8.

How did you first find out about the Mount Rainier shuttle bus? (Check all that
apply.) [Topic Area 2. VARIATION TPLAN11]
Knowledge from previous visit(s)
Family/friends/word of mouth
Travel guide/Tour book
Convention/Visitor Bureau
Radio/Television
Newspaper/Magazine article
Hotel/Motel
National Park website (www.nps.gov/mora)
Other website (Please specify):__________________________________
Local business (Please specify):____________________________
Other (Please specify):_________________________________________

9.

Have you ridden the Mount Rainier shuttle bus before today’s visit? [Topic Area 1. TRANS1]
Yes
No

10. Have you used shuttle buses in other National Parks or Monuments before? [Topic Area 3.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES AND USES OF PARK RESOUCES]
‰ Yes (CONTINUE TO QUESTION 11)
‰ No (SKIP TO QUESTION 12)

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11. In which national park(s) have you used shuttle buses, once inside the park? (Check
all that apply.) [Topic Area 3. – INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES AND USES OF
PARK RESOUCES]
‰ Acadia National Park, Maine
‰ Denali National Park, Alaska
‰ Devils Postpile National Monument, California
‰ Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, California
‰ Glacier National Park, Montana
‰ Golden Gate National Recreation Area (including Mount Rainier), California
‰ Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
‰ Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
‰ Sequoia National Park, California
‰ Zion National Park, Utah
‰ Other(s) (Please specify _______________)
12.

Did you use the Mount Rainier shuttle bus system today? [Topic Area 3. TRANS3]
Yes (CONTINUE TO QUESTION 13)
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 18)

13.

Which of the following descriptions best fits your group during this visit to Mount
Rainier National Park? (Check one.) [Topic Area 2. TRIP/VISIT
CHARACTERISTICS]
We decided when we were planning this trip to the park that we would use the Mount
Rainier shuttle bus on this visit to the park.
It was not until we arrived in Ashford, WA that we decided to use the Mount Rainier
shuttle bus on this visit to the park.
It was not until we entered the park that we decided to use the Mount Rainier shuttle
bus on this visit to the park.

14.

At which of the following locations did you first board the shuttle bus during this
visit to Mount Rainier National Park? (Check one.) [Topic Area 3. VARIATION TRIPC2]
Ashford, WA
Longmire
Cougar Rock
Narada Falls
Paradise
Comet Falls
Don’t know/Not sure
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15.

For each of the following destinations, please indicate whether you visited the
location using the Mount Rainier shuttle bus today? (Check one for each item.)
[Topic Area 3. VARIATION TRANS7]
Location
Longmire
Cougar Rock
Narada Falls
Paradise
Comet Falls

16.

Yes

No

Don’t Know/
Not Sure

Are there destinations in the park to which you would have liked to ride the shuttle
bus today, but were unable to do so because the bus doesn’t go there? (Check one.)
[Topic Area 2. TRIP/VISIT CHARACTERISTICS]
Yes (Please specify all destinations:_____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
No

17.

What reasons best explain why you used the Mount Rainier shuttle bus system
today? (SKIP TO QUESTION 19) [Topic Area 2. TRIP/VISIT
CHARACTERISTICS]
(Please tell us up to three reasons that best explain why you used the shuttle bus.)
a.________________________________________________________________
b.________________________________________________________________
c.________________________________________________________________

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18.

What reasons best explain why you did not use the Mount Rainier shuttle bus
system today? [Topic Area 2. TRIP/VISIT CHARACTERISTICS]
(Please tell us up to three reasons that best explain why you did not use the shuttle
bus.)
a.________________________________________________________________
b.________________________________________________________________
c.________________________________________________________________

Agree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You learn about the park

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Travel is affordable or low cost

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You have opportunities to see wildlife

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

It is easy to find your way around the park

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You have pleasant interactions with other visitors

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

It takes too long to get where you want to go

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You feel safe

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You have easy access to your personal belongings
(such as recreation equipment)

You have little impact on park’s natural
environment
You connect with the natural environment
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Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

We would like to know how you feel about using different kinds of transportation in
Mount Rainier. To do this, imagine you are traveling on the park road, making your
way up the mountain to Paradise. For each item below, FIRST rate how much you
think it describes your experience today driving your own car on the park road to
Paradise. THEN rate how much you think it describes what it would be like using
the Mount Rainier shuttle bus to travel to Paradise. Please answer this last part
even if it is not likely you would use the shuttle bus on a future park visit.
[Topic Area 6. EVALTRAN1]
Riding shuttle bus
Driving your car
Strongly
Disagree

19.

Agree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You hear the sounds of traffic

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

It is easy to get to scenic overlooks/vistas

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You experience a sense of freedom

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You feel stressed while traveling through the park

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You have trouble finding parking

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You can go “where you want, when you want”

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You avoid traffic congestion

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You feel crowded by other visitors

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

You hear natural sounds
You have easy access to different areas of the
park

You experience conflict with visitors using other
kinds of transportation

Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Driving your car

Strongly
Disagree

Riding shuttle bus

20.

How likely would you be to use the Mount Rainier shuttle bus system on a future
visit to the park? (Check one.) [Topic Area 3. VARIATION FVIS18]
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Somewhat unlikely
Very unlikely

21.

What would make your more likely to use the Mount Rainier shuttle bus system on
a future visit to the park? [Topic Area 6. VARIATION EVALTRAN6]
(Please tell us up to three things that would make you more likely to use the shuttle
bus.)
a.________________________________________________________________
b.________________________________________________________________
c.________________________________________________________________
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22.

Were you aware that there is a “park and ride” in Ashford, WA where visitors can
park their cars and ride the Mount Rainier shuttle bus into the park? (Check one.)
[Topic Area 5. INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION OF PARK SERVICES]
Yes, and we used the Ashford “park and ride” on this visit
Yes, but we did not use the Ashford “park and ride” on this visit
No, we were not aware of the Ashford “park and ride”

23.

If you were to visit Mount Rainier National Park again, would you consider using
the Mount Rainier shuttle bus from the “park and ride” in Ashford, WA? (Check
one.) [Topic Area 3. VARIATION FVIS 18]
Yes (SKIP TO QUESTION 25)
No (CONTINUE TO QUESTION 24)

24.

Which of the following reasons best describe why you would not consider using the
Mount Rainier shuttle bus from the “park and ride” in Ashford, WA during a
future visit to the park? (Check all that apply.) [Topic Area 5. INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION OF PARK SERVICES]
I prefer to drive into the park before boarding the shuttle bus
It is difficult to find the “park and ride” in Ashford, WA
It takes too long to get where I want to go in the park using the shuttle bus from the
“park and ride” in Ashford, WA
Other reasons (Please specify:____________________________________________)

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C. Background Information

25.

What is your gender? (Check one.) [Topic Area 1. GEND2]
Male
Female

26.

In what year were you born? [Topic Area 1. AGE1]
Year born:___________

27.

Do you live in the United States? (Check one.) [Topic Area 1. RES1]
Yes (What is your zip code? __________)
No (What country do you live in? ______________________________)

28.

What is the highest level of formal education you have completed?
[Topic Area 1. VARIATION ED2]
(Check one.)
Some high school
High school graduate or GED
Some college, business or trade school
College, business or trade school graduate
Some graduate school
Master’s, doctoral or professional degree

29.

Are you Hispanic or Latino? (Check one.) [Topic Area 1. RACE/ETH2]
Yes
No

30.

What is your race? (Check all that apply.) [Topic Area 1. RACE/ETH3]
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
White

Thank you for your help with this survey! Please return it to the surveyor.

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PRIVACY ACT and PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT Statement: 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. The
permanent data will be anonymous. 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 15 minutes per response. Direct comments
regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to: Barbara Samora, Natural Resource Manager,
Mount Rainier National Park, 55210 238th Avenue East, Ashford, WA 98304, Barbara_Samora@nps.gov.

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