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Best Practice Name: Courtesy Permit Program
All vehicles entering a Minnesota State Park are required to have a vehicle permit. Many potential customers desired to have the opportunity to check out park facilities to determine if a campsite, picnic shelter, or other facility would meet their needs for future use. Potential future customers were lost when people chose not to purchase a permit and left the park.
Recently, the legislature gave the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources authority to waive or reduce vehicle permit fees in Minnesota State Parks. A pilot program was proposed from July 15, 2006 through December 31, 2006 to waive entrance fees by establishing a courtesy permit program.
The commissioner approved the development of courtesy permits which waived entrance fees under certain guidelines. The program gave park managers the authority to allow access for a brief period of time for someone to check out park facilities. With new site specific campsite reservations, many people wanted to take a look at sites that would best accommodate their camping unit. Others wanted to check out a boat access to determine if it would be suitable for their boat or to check out shelter facilities for weddings and reunions.
The result was improved customer service and attracting new visitors into some parks.
The program was not without some challenges for park staff. Some people heard about the program and demanded "one of those free permits" to drive through the park. The program was not meant for visitors to drop off kids at group camps or beaches or to simply drive around the park.
In spite of the challenges, the program presented a good opportunity to better meet customer expectations, and we plan to request approval to continue the program in 2007.
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