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Motorcycle Safety Program
Expanding Opportunities for Training
Special to Sound RIDER! from Dave Wendell
Is the 3-6 month wait to get into a motorcycle safety
course too long? Would you be willing to pay full price for the training if you
could get into a class sooner? If these questions got your attention, please
read on.
The Washington Motorcycle Safety Program (WMSP) is
undoubtedly one of the best in the country. This statement is borne out by all
the awards the program has won since its inception in 1982. One of the benefits
of the WMSP has always been its low cost to students. (Washington has the third
lowest cost for an MSF course in the nation.) Anyone desiring training by the
WMSP can register for a course with only $100.00, although the training actually
costs between $150.00 to $250.00 per student (depending on location and several
other factors). Where does the rest of the money come from? It comes from
motorcycle endorsement fees.
When you renew your motorcycle endorsement you pay $25.00
for a five-year endorsement. We all know that putting the "M3" on your
WA drivers license doesn't cost that much. So where does the rest of the money
go? It is deposited in a protected account known as the Rider Education Fund.
This fund is administered by our state legislature, and allocated to the
Department of Licensing, WMSP, by the Senate Transportation Committee. The
course providers (Puget Sound M/C Education, Evergreen Motorcycle Safety
Training, Kitsap County M/C Programs, Peninsula M/C Education, Vancouver Parks
& Rec., Wenatchee Valley College, and Spokane ATV/Motorcycle Safety
Education) receive a subsidy payment for each student from the WMSP after the
student completes the class. So the training is subsidized by motorcyclists, for
motorcyclists, and no money to support the program comes from the general tax
fund.
This all works just fine as long as there is sufficient
money in the Rider Education Fund, and the Senate Transportation Committee
allocates enough of it to allow the training providers to operate. Unfortunately
that's not always the case. Throughout the year the waiting list to get into a
class is anywhere from 3-6 months long; and several times over the last 19 years
training has been completely halted due to a lack of funding availability from
the WMSP. This happens despite the fact that training locations are already set
up, training motorcycles are sitting there, Instructors are available to teach,
and people are waiting in offices to take your phone calls and do all the
necessary paperwork for you.
As I write this, most of the providers are not operating
to full capacity because they are restricted in how many students they can teach
based on the money available from the WMSP. Course providers were not allowed to
offer courses outside the auspices of the WMSP. This has been an ongoing problem
for the entire 19 years the WMSP has been in existence. That problem may finally
have a solution.
The Attorney General's office recently ruled that
motorcycle safety training could be held without the support of the WMSP if the
course providers could meet certain conditions. A few of the providers are able
to meet those provisions immediately and can begin training to full capacity.
However, because no support (subsidy money, books, completion cards, etc.) will
come from the WMSP, this training, although identical to the training at the
subsidized sites, will cost the student the full price of the training. Because
it will be more expensive, you may be able to get into a non-subsidized course
MUCH sooner than one funded by the WMSP. If the course provider can meet the
conditions outlined by the Attorney General (and unfortunately, not all of them
can); this will keep training sites from sitting empty and unused due to lack of
funds. It's not an ideal solution, but it IS a solution.
If you don't want to wait several months for an MSF
approved course, and you're willing to pay the full price, call your local
course provider and inquire as to whether they have a non-subsidized course
available. For a list of the course providers, their addresses and phone numbers
visit the WMSP website at: http://www.wa.gov/dol/drivers/wmspsite.htm
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