Rant: recreation.gov

[cptqueeg]

After 3 years of attempting to get reservations at recreation.gov, they piss me off. First let me say this is a .gov web page, but it's run by Booze Allen and their sub-contractors.

This year after getting a REALLY hard to get spot which I was shut out of 2 years ago and cancelled out last year due to the campground being closed entirely and this year shut out because they changed the advanced reservations from 6 months to 5 months w/out notice I finally got a spot that was available on 2 week notice.

As it happens the campground was closed again for the 1st day of our reservation. Rec.gov sent 1 generic, cryptic (word salad) email which required me to modify my 14 night reservation in order to maintain it with no deadline for that modification to happen. Of course they also sent me a reminder that my reservation was good 2 days prior to our first night.

(Does everyone travel w email access available 24/7?)

So all was apparently well until the night before our departure at 10:30pm I get an email notifying us the reservation was cancelled. The reservation was put back in the pool and resold in a heartbeat.

In the end we only live a 7 hour drive from the location, but it's a National Park that people travel to from all over the US and the world so I figured I'd do my part to make sure what happened to us doesn't happen to anyone else.

My 3 issues are:

1. Why is the default cancelling a reservation that was paid for in full?

2. Based on all their communications to me rec.gov had the information and software writing skills to write an appropriate, clearly written email stating exactly what I needed to do; why didn't they do that?

3. Why when I get a Customer Support case set up they ghost me TWICE?

PS A Park Service employee went out of his way to find us an administrative spot to use instead. He wasn't successful, but he did try.


Rant over.

I'd like to fix this. Anybody know anyone at Booze Allen?

[dodge_guy]

The problem is, it’s a park owned by the government (We The People) and they sold it out from under us to a privately owned firm that does what they want when they want. And we get screwed all the way around.
And don’t get me started on the fees they want to get into the parks that we are already paying for as well as the “now required because it’s a money maker” timed entry pass” at most NP’s!

And we should be happy that they allow us to enter our parks? Ya right.

As far as checking email? Anyone ever tried to do that on the road? No cell coverage or signals dropping out? Seriously!

Almost makes me happy for the private campground prices and site lock fees.

Ok rant over!

[cptqueeg]

j3ff9ack wrote:


The most common Booz Allen Hamilton email format is [last]_[first] (ex. doe_jane@bah.com), which is being used by 99.0% of Booz Allen Hamilton work email addresses.

Thank you.

The last time I reverse engineered an email I ended up getting a call back from Hunter Harrison CEO of CSX railroad.

[cptqueeg]

wowens79 wrote:
24/7 email is the norm now. Pops up on my watch and phone everytime one comes in. I can't wait for the day I can turn that off!

I think the question is why was the site canceled? Is there an electrical or plumbing issue with the site making it unusable? If thats the case it would be nice to put that in the email, but I'm sure it is an automatically generated email, that is generic.

The question is why did they cancel the entire reservation when the campground was only closed the first day of the reservation.


The email question was just a throw away line, not the focal point of my complaint at all. We spent 4 days this past weekend out of cell range east of Cascade, ID.

[NamMedevac_70]

Dude you have every right to rant, moan and complain so that others will know. Thanks for sharing as I learned a few things. Cheers to youa

[j3ff9ack]

cptqueeg wrote:

TenOC wrote:
One of my family members is a programmer that is CONTRACTED to write the code for the web site. Her hands are tied. She can only do as she is told.

Remember the government employees (I was one) are NOT motivated to help you. They are motivated to keep their jobs and to make sure the program need to be improved so they can get a larger budget next year. ALWAYS GROW THE DEPARTMENT.

I'd like to contact Julie McPherson at Booze Allen. It can be done w LinkedIn Premium (which I'm not buying) or reverse engineering her email. Can anyone one help w either of those?

The most common Booz Allen Hamilton email format is [last]_[first] (ex. doe_jane@bah.com), which is being used by 99.0% of Booz Allen Hamilton work email addresses.

[Old_Days]

I have the Recreation.Gov app on my phone and it works great.

[wowens79]

24/7 email is the norm now. Pops up on my watch and phone everytime one comes in. I can't wait for the day I can turn that off!

I think the question is why was the site canceled? Is there an electrical or plumbing issue with the site making it unusable? If thats the case it would be nice to put that in the email, but I'm sure it is an automatically generated email, that is generic.

[cptqueeg]

stickdog wrote:
You can moan and complain all you want on an internet forum and you get nothing. Sit yourself down get out pen and paper and write a complaint letter to your US congressman and both your US senators. You will get a response and perhaps an apology from Rec.gov.

Yeah it's a rant, moaning and complaining if you will. I'm not interested in an apology, I want to fix the problem so that others never suffer the same fate.

Our reps in Idaho care nothing about the states and countries citizens and the issue will only feed them material to use in their political battles in DC. And besides I like to fight my own battles w conversation w those that can make a difference.

Booze Allen can easily fix these problems, and I believe they would if they clearly understood that there was a serious issue to begin with.

[stickdog]

You can moan and complain all you want on an internet forum and you get nothing. Sit yourself down get out pen and paper and write a complaint letter to your US congressman and both your US senators. You will get a response and perhaps an apology from Rec.gov.

[cptqueeg]

TenOC wrote:
One of my family members is a programmer that is CONTRACTED to write the code for the web site. Her hands are tied. She can only do as she is told.

Remember the government employees (I was one) are NOT motivated to help you. They are motivated to keep their jobs and to make sure the program need to be improved so they can get a larger budget next year. ALWAYS GROW THE DEPARTMENT.

I'd like to contact Julie McPherson at Booze Allen. It can be done w LinkedIn Premium (which I'm not buying) or reverse engineering her email. Can anyone one help w either of those?

[valhalla360]

Yes, most people have access to email and it's only getting more common.

The website is bad but it's less some secret cabal and more the challenge of an agency that doesn't contract for software...contracting to make software. Assuming they have a 2 to 5 year contract, it's a long time before they get around to fixing issues or it's an expensive contract modification that they haven't got a budget for.

Having gone thru a similar process a few times, it's a lot harder than it sounds to write the specs to get a flawless software developed.

[cptqueeg]

The campground I'm referring to is open from mid June to early October. I wouldn't set foot in this park during that window if not for this campground.

[NamMedevac_70]

I fully understand your situation and is reason why I only book and camp at Fed, State parks, etc before and after the 3 month vacation season. Just completed over two weeks of great camping at Bodega Bay and Brannan Island SPs in May.

Everywhere is to crowded and jammed up with folks during those 3 months and I am not interested in constantly checking email for reservations. Shish.

As another forum member likes to say it is just a snafu unless it happens to him of course.

During those 3 months I camp at more remote or undeveloped campgrounds waiting for wonderful September. Life is good. Rollin, Rollin, Rollin.

[TenOC]

One of my family members is a programmer that is CONTRACTED to write the code for the web site. Her hands are tied. She can only do as she is told.

Remember the government employees (I was one) are NOT motivated to help you. They are motivated to keep their jobs and to make sure the program need to be improved so they can get a larger budget next year. ALWAYS GROW THE DEPARTMENT.

[cptqueeg]

bgum wrote:
Email on cellphone is the norm today. That being said there is no doubt that the website needs improvement.

I have no problem w the web site, other than the bots booking reservations; my issues are the policies and poor communication.