National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
1–10 of 19 posts
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#2I don't understand what the problem is here. Recreation.gov is one of the few government websites that actually does what you'd expect in a relatively streamlined way. Agency managed websites are typically a hot mess... I'm looking at you USFS website.
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#3I don't understand what the problem is here. Recreation.gov is one of the few government websites that actually does what you'd expect in a relatively streamlined way. Agency managed websites are typically a hot mess... I'm looking at you USFS website.
Totally agree. I feel like some of these articles are written by children these days. Do you not understand that someone had to pay for the website to be built?
And having transaction fees is a good way to try different models. Good ideas with aligned incentives should be celebrated.
Don’t forget, the alternative would’ve still been the traditional “pay some defense contractor millions to do a shitty job and then pay them millions more to improve it”
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#4I don't understand what the problem is here. Recreation.gov is one of the few government websites that actually does what you'd expect in a relatively streamlined way. Agency managed websites are typically a hot mess... I'm looking at you USFS website.
Totally agree. I feel like some of these articles are written by children these days. Do you not understand that someone had to pay for the website to be built? And having transaction fees is a good way to try different models. Good ideas with aligned incentives should be celebrated. Don’t forget, the alternative would’ve still been the traditional “pay some defense contractor millions to do a shitty job and then pay…
Also, the headline is sensationalist. The total cost per ticket the buyer pays is $2 per vehicle. I've been to state parks that charge more. Yeah, it adds up to millions for the seller, but they're not charging extortionate prices.
Now that we know this type of contract model works, and if people are bothered by the unexpected windfall, future contracts can be structured differently to taper off or something.
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#5Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#6I'm fine with the contractors making money for a time frame with renewable contracts periodically by other companies.
But the code my tax dollars paid for should be open source and the contract should be biddable periodically.
An endless monopoly is not right in my opinion.
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
Totally agree. I feel like some of these articles are written by children these days. Do you not understand that someone had to pay for the website to be built? And having transaction fees is a good way to try different models. Good ideas with aligned incentives should be celebrated. Don’t forget, the alternative would’ve still been the traditional “pay some defense contractor millions to do a shitty job and then pay…
Also, the headline is sensationalist. The total cost per ticket the buyer pays is $2 per vehicle. I've been to state parks that charge more. Yeah, it adds up to millions for the seller, but they're not charging extortionate prices. Now that we know this type of contract model works, and if people are bothered by the unexpected windfall, future contracts can be structured differently to taper off or something.
I will say that I take issue with the fact that several of the more popular trails/areas where permits are issued by lottery. Recreation.gov charges a $10 lottery fee, which you pay even if you don’t get a permit, on top of the fee for the actual permit.
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also, the headline is sensationalist. The total cost per ticket the buyer pays is $2 per vehicle. I've been to state parks that charge more. Yeah, it adds up to millions for the seller, but they're not charging extortionate prices. Now that we know this type of contract model works, and if people are bothered by the unexpected windfall, future contracts can be structured differently to taper off or something.
I will say that I take issue with the fact that several of the more popular trails/areas where permits are issued by lottery. Recreation.gov charges a $10 lottery fee, which you pay even if you don’t get a permit, on top of the fee for the actual permit.
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Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also, the headline is sensationalist. The total cost per ticket the buyer pays is $2 per vehicle. I've been to state parks that charge more. Yeah, it adds up to millions for the seller, but they're not charging extortionate prices. Now that we know this type of contract model works, and if people are bothered by the unexpected windfall, future contracts can be structured differently to taper off or something.
I will say that I take issue with the fact that several of the more popular trails/areas where permits are issued by lottery. Recreation.gov charges a $10 lottery fee, which you pay even if you don’t get a permit, on top of the fee for the actual permit.
They're raking in the cash on these lotteries for places like The Wave. This is 100% my problem with it as well.
https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4251909
Application Fee: A non-refundable $9.00 lottery fee is required for each lottery application.
I went to the lottery a few times in Kanab and never got a permit. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll probably never get one now.
Re: National park visits are surging, and one firm is making unexpected millions
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
I will say that I take issue with the fact that several of the more popular trails/areas where permits are issued by lottery. Recreation.gov charges a $10 lottery fee, which you pay even if you don’t get a permit, on top of the fee for the actual permit.
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https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-enhance-permitting-pro...
https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4251909
Note that the application fees are separate from the permit itself as well:
Application Fee: A non-refundable $9.00 lottery fee is required for each lottery application.
Recreation Fee: If selected in the lottery, a recreation fee of $7.00 per person or dog is required. This fee is paid online when filling in additional information to complete the process after successfully winning. Everyone, regardless of age, must be included in the permit. This includes infants that are not walking. Payment of recreation fees is only required if a permit is awarded through the lottery.