All Aboard
In May of 2016, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area (NFNHA) area opened up a new component of their park to the public—a shuttle bus. The ride, named “Discover Niagara,” runs from Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site to Niagara Falls in a 14 mile route and allows tourists to easily explore the area. The shuttle stops at a number of places along the picturesque Niagara River, including the Lewiston waterfront, Whirpool State Park, the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, and the Niagara Aquarium. According to Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, the shuttle, “…dispels an old belief that any tourism dollars spent outside Niagara Falls is a loss to the city. But that’s not the case. We work best when we work together as a region.”
The shuttle runs daily from 9:00am to 7:00pm, May 26th-October 19th. While the shuttle is free, tickets must be obtained by downloading the Discover Niagara Shuttle app, available for both Android and Apple products.
Niagara Falls is not the first New York State Park to use a shuttle to increase public access to regional assets and destinations. In the summer of 2015, Harriman State Park in Tuxedo built a partnership with A Better Tuxedo, the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce, and MyHarriman.com to connect car-less hikers with the second largest park in NYS. Hikers, bikers, and park lovers alike have the chance to board a shuttle bus for just $5 and be dropped off at any site in Harriman’s extensive collection of trails, lakes, beaches, and camping areas. For now, the shuttle only runs once a day on weekends and holidays during the summer months, but creators of the program hope to expand the shuttle’s use.
The implementation of shuttles is not limited to New York State Parks. Throughout the country, various national parks such as Zion National Park and Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park have included forms of public transit in their park amenities. Both places report an influx of tourist dollars in towns surrounding the park, and higher ratings from people who have visited the parks. Shuttles change not only the experience of the tourist, but also provide a boost to economies of surrounding towns. In Niagara Falls and Harriman, accessibility to local stores, restaurants and coffee shops means more customers. The shuttles have the added bonus of reducing the number of individual vehicles making the same trip, therefor reducing greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and congestion.
Image 1 courtesy of Niagara Falls State Park
Image 2 courtesy of Discover Niagara