MSF Staff Prepares for a New Future While Maintaining Core Programs
IRVINE, Calif., April 30, 2020 – While we all wait on the safe reopening of rider training sites across the country and around the world, the MSF team remains hard at work supporting RiderCoach re-certifications, responding to inquiries from coaches and programs, receiving and shipping training materials every Tuesday and Thursday, and providing eCourse support to students and training providers.
Meanwhile, the MSF vRETS webinar series – the Virtual Rider Education Training System Workshops with Dr. Ray Ochs, vice president of training systems – is an unqualified success. Since April 7, vRETS has gone live every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the occasional, special Saturday session. To date, we have counted more than 4,400 registrations and 3,700 attendees, the RiderCoaches and others in the safety community logging on and diving into the content with Dr. Ray.
In response to state programs that have chosen to resume training, the MSF is developing recommendations for delivering classes while adhering to RETS standards, with companion documents on social distancing and maintaining a hygienic training environment.
“The MSF continues to work closely with all stakeholders in rider education and motorcyclist safety to seek solutions for today’s challenges,” said Robert Gladden, vice president of training operations. “Many state programs are experiencing significant turbulence, ranging from postponed classes, to loss of ranges on college campuses, to complete program shutdowns. However, the MSF’s many resources, from our RiderCourse Enrollment System, to our varied RiderCourses, to our online Quality Assurance System, to our online Q-Center, to the Basic eCourse, remain available to qualified entities. We hope that all our partners in safety reach out to us for our help.”
The MSF is also revitalizing and reprioritizing initiatives, preparing for a new future. The organization is committed to working with industry colleagues to help in the recovery. And for many small businesses in the motorcycle safety community, the Motorcycle Industry Council’s guide to financial resources and government updates can be of great value.
“Every MSF team member in every state we work with wants to see us all ride it out, together,” Gladden said. “Team efforts and key partnerships matter now, more than ever.”
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests, and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military, and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been recognized worldwide since 1973.
The MSF is a not-for-profit organization endorsed by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; BMW Motorrad USA; BRP, Inc.; Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc.; Indian Motorcycle; Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.; KTM North America, Inc.; Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.; Triumph Motorcycles America; and Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. For safety information or to enroll in an MSF Basic RiderCourse near you, or to learn more about the many other MSF course offerings, visit MSF-USA.org or call (800) 446-9227.
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