One Call...
To Simplify PA State Park Reservations
By Gretchen Leslie, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Warm summer nights spent camping under the stars, picnics on the beach by the lake. The snow may still be falling, but it is the time of year when ardent campers, picnickers and others who use our state parks system begin to make reservations for their summer activities.

Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is developing a new, streamlined process for reserving facilities throughout the state park system. Beginning in the spring, one phone call will get customers access to reservations and information on any one of Pennsylvania's 116 state parks.

The new system features a toll-free number, 1-888-PA-PARKS, answered by operators who can take statewide reservations on certain state park amenities, such as campsites, cabins, pavilions and group tenting areas. The call center, located in Harrisburg, also provides information about the entire state park system.

"To provide top-quality service to our state park visitors, we needed to modernize our antiquated way of taking reservations and providing information," said John C. Oliver, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). "Because this new system was designed specifically for Pennsylvania, we will have a system to meet our needs and satisfy our customers. The end result should be improved customer services and increased tourism in our state parks."

The new system is part of the Ridge Administration's PRIME efforts to improve government and make it more accessible, efficient and cost-effective. The nationwide toll-free number for centralized reservations is also anticipated to increase awareness and visits to Pennsylvania's magnificent state park system.

The new system allows customers from anywhere in the United States to call one number to make reservations up to 11 months in advance for cabins, campsites, group tenting areas and pavilions. For example, to make a cabin reservation for July 1, 1999, a customer may call anytime after August 1, 1998.

Customers may make multiple reservations with one call and, for the first time, may use VISA or MasterCard for payment.

For those who aren't familiar with our state park system, or simply need more information before they visit, operators will have on hand a database of information about the parks and their amenities. They'll be able to provide maps on individual parks, literature on camping and other accommodations, brochures on volunteering, trail guides for cross country skiing and other sports, and other information and literature.

Under the current system, customers must call individual parks to make a reservation. The parks are not linked into any database that tells the availability of other sites throughout the state park system.

"The current system is often frustrating for both the visitor and park employee," Oliver said. "For instance, if you want to reserve a cabin, you must call on the first Saturday in February in order to get the pick of the lot. If you want to camp at a park over a summer weekend, you must take your chances that a site will be available."

"Imagine, packing up the family for a weekend camping getaway only to find that your first choice was full. Under our old way of doing business, that happened to many people," Oliver continued. "Our new system will take the hassle out of making reservations and provide more options for our customers."

The new system will reduce double bookings; provide uniformity in procedures; and track caller information for future mailings and reports. Operators will serve as "travel agents" by providing options at other parks when a caller's first choice already is taken.

"They'll have a database at their fingertips to be able to provide the utmost in service to our customers," Oliver said.

Campsites throughout the state park system will be 100 percent reservable. Those wanting the comfort of a guaranteed site when they arrive may choose to make a reservation. Those wanting last minute flexibility still have the option of showing up at a park without a reservation.

The reservation system is being designed specifically for Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and Handicapped (PIBH) has been selected as the contractor, and has subcontracted with several consultants and companies to help design and implement the system.

One of its member organizations, AbiliTech, will operate the call center and provide technical support to DCNR park staff. Bell Atlantic Professional Services is advising AbiliTech on call center management and operations. Unisys Corp. has been selected as the software system integrator with the overall responsibility for determining how the system is designed. Suncoast Scientific is developing software in conjunction with Unisys.

More information on Pennsylvania's state parks is available on DCNR's web site at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us. To get the latest update on the new reservation system, call toll-free 1-888-PA-PARKS (1-888-727-2757) for a recorded message.

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