Yosemite Shuttles Reportedly Crowded and Unsafe

Kurtis Alexander reports on the current state of Yosemite National Park's shuttle service. "Yosemite’s shuttle system, which carries more than 3 million park visitors between such famous spots as Yosemite Falls, the Ahwahnee hotel and the Mist Trail each year, is at best an annoyance during the busy summer months. At worst, it’s a safety issue."

The shuttle service is run by Yosemite Hospitality, a concessionaire and subsidiary of the food service giant Aramark, writes Alexander. The buses in the fleet are older and prone to chronic maintenance issues, which means vehicles are regularly taken out of commission for repairs.

In addition, cutbacks on drivers and mechanics have resulted in too few buses available to handle the park’s rider demand. Drivers say the crowding on buses is unsafe, the vehicles are not being maintained properly, and many of the buses are operating with expired registrations.

"Over the past year, the overwhelmed shuttle system at Yosemite has caused shoving matches among vacationers clamoring for a ride and heated words between drivers and passengers. On one occasion, a handful of people were so fed up with buses whizzing by that they formed a human chain across the road to stop a coach," writes Alexander.