WYDOT offers online motorcycle safety courses

The Wyoming Department of Transportation is committed to removing barriers for riders on the path to the freedom of the open road on a motorcycle.

The WYDOT building has been home to basic rider safety courses in the past, but starting this spring, Motorcycle Safety classes through WYDOT will now include an online component for a portion of the classroom learning. The classes will provide students a flexible option to complete a 3-hour e-course during the two weeks prior to the class.

The hands-on safety riding instruction will still require face-to-face time with riding coaches to, after the online learning portion, get students acquainted with the motorcycles during a low-risk exercise at the beginning of class.

The curriculum employed by WYDOT is provided by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). The updated curriculum is the result of extensive research which has been successful at a national level, WYDOT Motorcycle Safety Program Manager Jennifer Goodrich said.

The new curriculum, including the online, classroom and on-cycle training is more dynamic and engaging, Goodrich added.

Each riding coach is required to get certification in the updated curriculum. All WYDOT motorcycle trainers are MSF certified RiderCoaches. WYDOT’s training team is excited about the changes, Goodrich said.

Classes do fill up quickly, Goodrich said, and only cost $50. Registrations were being accepted online beginning in March.

Now that department personnel can track if a student rider has completed the online training portion, “no shows” are reduced, and a spot in class can be offered to another student up to two days prior to the class. People interested in a class that appears “full” are encouraged to contact the department to be placed on a wait list.

To sign up or learn more about the new motorcycle safety online training program, go to http://www.dot.state.wy.us or contact Goodrich at 307-777-4874 or email jennifer.goodrich@wyo.gov.