National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Park Planning, Facilities and Lands Directorate

Park Facility Management Division

Washington, D.C.

Accomplishments in First Year of Transportation 

Innovation MOU between DOI and DOT

On November 17, 2021 Department of the Interior 

(DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland and Department of 

Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg signed

the DOI-DOT Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 

Regarding Transportation Innovation in the National 

Park System. The MOU strengthens the collaboration 

between the NPS and DOT to continue working 

together to proactively address emerging mobility. It 

outlines initiatives to guide the Departments’ efforts 

to build world-class transportation systems that 

provide enhanced, equitable access for car-free trips.

In the year since the MOU signing, the Departments 

have worked together, leveraging funding from the 

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to enhance 

sustainable, equitable access. The NPS, through its 

Emerging Mobility Program, continues to advance demonstration projects across different park contexts and 

emerging mobility topic areas. The NPS, in collaboration with DOT, has made progress in each of the project 

initiatives outlined in the MOU: 

• Innovative Technology Pilots

o The NPS, with technical assistance from the DOT Volpe Center, evaluated the two 2021 

automated shuttle pilots at Yellowstone National Park and Wright Brothers National 

Memorial, and published evaluation reports in June 2022 (summary report). In addition to 

analyzing vehicle data and survey results, the full report documents lessons learned related 

to infrastructure requirements, contracting, planning, communications, technology, 

evaluation, visitor experience and management, and accessibility. 

o Following the success of these first two emerging mobility pilots in 2021, the NPS Emerging

Mobility Program is expanding to identify 5-10 pilots at parks across the country to launch 

over the next two years. BIL provides opportunities to fund this prioritized set of emerging 

mobility pilots.

o Building upon the partnership between DOI and DOT, the NPS and State of Michigan signed 

an MOU in April 2022 and are currently working with five NPS park units in Michigan, as well 

as state agencies and local stakeholders, to identify opportunities for emerging mobility 

pilots. 

o The NPS is focusing on 10 park units over the next year that have surrounding, underserved 

communities to consider new transportation connections and services.

Figure 1: An electric bus used in a demonstration at 

Zion National Park during project planning. NPS photo
November 2022 | 2

• Shared Mobility Integration

o The NPS convened a group of NPS and DOT subject matter experts to focus on ridehailing and 

micromobility. The NPS met with ridehailing service providers and is currently providing 

technical assistance to appropriate parks to assist them in setting up ridehailing pickup/drop-off areas. 

o The NPS is developing regulations that would govern the use of micromobility devices, such 

as e-scooters and Segways, in park areas. NPS and DOT subject matter experts are working 

together to prepare a proposed rule that the NPS intends to publish in early 2023 for public

review and comment. More information can be found at reginfo.gov.

• Electrification of Major Transit Fleets

o Zion National Park continues advancing its transit fleet electrification, with $33 million 

awarded by DOT’s Nationally Significant Federal Land and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) program in 

2021. The new transit fleet will include 26 battery-electric buses and 27 charging stations to 

replace the current propane-powered transit fleet. 

o The NPS applied for $56.8 million in BIL funding 

through an NSFLTP grant in October 2022 to 

address Grand Canyon National Park South Rim 

shuttle bus fleet replacement needs and 

electrification upgrades, implementation of 

electric bus charging infrastructure, and 

construction of a modernized bus maintenance 

facility.

• Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations

o The NPS developed an Electric Vehicle 5-Year 

Work Plan outlining current activities and 

challenges, planned activities related to 

EV policy and guidance, infrastructure 

and utilities, charging stations, fleet 

electrification, asset management, 

workforce development, and financial 

analysis. The NPS is now working to 

implement the Work Plan.

• Advanced Traveler Information Systems

o The NPS is developing a system to send 

real-time roadway information to 

visitors through NPS.gov, the NPS app, 

state-level 511 systems, and navigation 

apps. 

o The NPS is using DOT’s Work Zone Data 

Exchange (WZDx) specification and is 

the first WZDx data producer that is not 

a city, state, or metropolitan area. The 

NPS piloted the WZDx roadway closure 

feed to inform visitors of updated road 

conditions during the monsoon recovery 

in Mojave National Preserve in 

September 2022. The feed provided opportunities to reach more visitors with the latest road 

closure details and update information as Mojave’s roads opened up during the recovery. 

Figure 3: Mojave National Preserve provides realtime updates on road closure status on their 

webpage, and the NPS tested pulling this information 

into an automated data feed during monsoon 

recovery for display on navigation apps.

Figure 2: Components of EV Systems.