For Inyo permits, they MUST be picked up in person, BY the person (or alternate) shown on the permit.
Unless they are going to keep someone in the visitor center till the wee hours of the night, or move the permit pick-up to Whitney Portal, that is bad. I would expect that many visitors from Southern California drive to Lone Pine after work, the evening before the hike, and they get there long after the visitor center closes. Under this scheme, sounds like the prospective hiker would have to get there one day early, or drive back to Lone Pine from the trailhead in the morning.
