Program Requirements

Section 455.50  Program Requirements a)         Regional Centers The Department will enter into an annual contract with a State college or a community college, a State university or a community agency of its choice to act as a Regional Center for purposes of administering the Program.  Training courses will be offered at a Regional Center or at any of the training sites within a Region.  Regional Centers shall administer and operate the Program in compliance with this Part. 1)         Regional Boundaries Regional boundaries are established by the Department through the assignment of counties to a specific Region.  Factors used to determine which Region a county is assigned to include the county's proximity to a Regional Center as well as population factors within the State.  (See Appendix A for county assignments.)  The designated Regions and county assignments are also available on the Program's website at www.startseeingmotorcycles.org . Larger counties may be divided between two Regional Centers to accommodate all students in that county. 2)         Program Directors Each State college or community college, State university or community agency shall appoint a Program Director who shall be responsible for the overall management of the Program.  The Program Director shall be experienced in program management, including fiscal management, personnel management, and preparation of contract proposals and shall have a technical understanding of the Program. 3)         Program Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators A)        Each Regional Center shall employ a Program Coordinator to manage the day-to-day operations of the Program.  Each Regional Center may appoint an Assistant Coordinator to assist the Program Coordinator.  The Program Coordinator, and Assistant Coordinator if applicable, shall: i)          successfully complete a beginner course instructor program under this Section; ii)         be a Chief Instructor or become a Chief Instructor within 18 months after becoming a Program Coordinator (or Assistant Coordinator); iii)        be knowledgeable of cycle safety as well as administrative and personnel management issues; iv)        have the ability to effectively teach the concepts and lessons of the Program; and v)         teach either one beginner course and one instructor preparation course or four beginner courses annually.  The Program Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator will not be compensated for teaching these annual minimum requirement courses. B)        Responsibilities of the Program Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator include, but are not limited to: i)          Preparation of contract proposals; ii)         Management of program costs; iii)        Training activities, as well as monitoring training activities performed by other instructors; iv)        Supervision and evaluation of instructors; v)         Selection and equipping of training sites; vi)        Development and distribution of course schedules; vii)       Procurement and management of cycles and related training equipment; viii)      Preparation of reports; and ix)        Documentation of costs for reimbursement purposes. 4)         Chief Instructor Qualifications Chief Instructors shall meet the following requirements: A)        Complete a Chief Instructor Course, as required by the course curricula (see Section 455.40 for course curricula); and B)        Maintain Chief Instructor recertification requirements, as required by the course curricula. 5)         Beginner Course Instructor Qualifications Instructors of the beginner course shall meet the following requirements: A)        Possess a Student Completion Card (see Section 455.70(i)); B)        Possess a valid Class M driver's license (i.e., motorcycle (150 or more cubic centimeters displacement)) or the equivalent license of another state; C)        Possess a valid Red Cross Basic First Aid Card or Department-approved equivalent (e.g., military first aid training, emergency medical technician); D)        Be knowledgeable of and able to perform basic cycle maintenance; E)        Be able to operate a 5 pound (minimum) dry-chemical (Type A, B or C) fire extinguisher; F)         Successfully complete an instructor training course that meets the standards of the Department-approved curriculum and demonstrate riding ability to the satisfaction of the Chief Instructor (see Section 455.40 for Department-approved curriculum); G)        Successfully practice teach designated portions of a beginner course under the supervision and in the presence of a Chief Instructor; H)        Maintain instructor certification in accordance with the curriculum; I)         Attend an annual Instructor Update Seminar conducted by a Regional Center; and J)         Possess a safe riding and driving record (an out-of-state instructor shall furnish a copy of his or her driving record) that, for purposes of this Program, means having no more than two convictions for violations of traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles committed within a 12-month period, and no possibility that the instructor's license could be suspended.  An instructor or instructor candidate convicted of any traffic violation that could result in the suspension or revocation of his or her driving privileges, including, but not limited to, DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), shall be disqualified for a period of three years from the date of the suspension. 6)         Advanced Course Instructor Qualifications Instructors of the advanced course shall meet the following requirements: A)        Maintain beginner course instructor certification in accordance with the curriculum; B)        Complete a one-day advanced instructor course taught by a qualified Chief Instructor; and C)        Complete an annual Instructor Update Seminar conducted by a Regional Center. 7)         Range Aide Qualifications Persons employed as Range Aides shall meet the following requirements: A)        Possess a Beginner Course Student Completion Card (see Section 455.70(i)); B)        Possess a valid Class M Illinois driver's license or Class L driver's license (i.e., motor driven cycle (under 150 cubic centimeters displacement)) or the equivalent license of another state; and C)        Be knowledgeable of and able to perform basic cycle maintenance and repair. b)         Training Sites Courses may be conducted at various training sites established as needed throughout a Region.  The Program Coordinator shall consider the following factors when selecting a training site:  cycle crash data by county, cycle registrations by county, the number of requests for courses, and the availability of an acceptable site. 1)         All training sites shall be approved by the Department prior to use.  The Department will approve a training site when the following requirements of this subsection (b)(1) are met. A)        Range Areas i)          A range area shall be a paved surface free from street traffic and surface obstructions.  All range areas must be approved by the Department.  Adequate room must be provided on the range to conduct maneuvers.  A range drawing indicating the location, area dimensions and exercise layouts specified shall be submitted to the Department two weeks prior to use and shall indicate any potential hazards on or adjacent to the range. Potential hazards may include, but are not limited to, light poles, fences, raised medians, or parking blocks.  If the range or adjacent area changes, an updated drawing shall be submitted to the Department at the following address within one week after the Program Coordinator's knowledge of the change. Manager, Motorcycle Safety Unit Illinois Department of Transportation Bureau of Safety Programs and Engineering 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Room 007 Springfield IL  62764 ii)         The paved range area must meet standards established by the Department in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i).  The Department may approve exceptions to the standards based on an on-site evaluation of the range.  Exceptions may include reduced range size and changes to layouts and exercise areas due to potential hazards such as those listed in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i). B)        Classroom Facilities The classroom shall be a room that is usually within walking distance of the range area.  The classroom shall be equipped with desks that provide a writing space for each student.  A desk or podium and chair shall be provided for the instructor, along with a table to accommodate any audio-visual equipment. C)        Storage Facilities A locked storage facility shall be provided with space adequate for the storage of cycles and related training equipment kept at the site overnight (e.g., helmets, course cones). 2)         Training Equipment For a beginner course, the Regional Centers shall furnish the cycles and helmets used during the course.  Cycle size and type shall be determined by the Department.  For an advanced course, the student will be required to furnish a helmet and a cycle. A)        Helmet Standards All helmets shall meet or exceed FMVSS 218. B)        Cycle Acquisition Cycles may be acquired through dealer loan agreements or the Department may purchase cycles for each Regional Center.  Cycles are usually purchased from funds deposited into the Cycle Rider Safety Training Fund as authorized in Section 6 of the Act.  Cycles are sometimes donated by cycle manufacturers, dealers, clubs, organizations, and/or individuals.  The Department may also authorize a Regional Center to purchase cycles used in its Region. c)         Insurance 1)         The Regional Center shall obtain liability insurance for each cycle used by a beginner course student in the Program. 2)         Minimum insurance limitations and coverages shall be: A)        Bodily injury and property damage liability; B)        A combined single limit of $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate; C)        $500 deductible per crash (paid by the Regional Center); D)        Comprehensive and collision coverage for motorcycles shall be based on their actual cash value as determined annually by the Regional Center using the most current edition of the Kelley Blue  Book or National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) values; and E)        Excess medical coverage in the amount of $10,000 per person. 3)         Proof of insurance shall be submitted to the Department by the Regional Center prior to the start of any beginner or advanced course.  The insurance policy shall contain a 30-day written notice (to the Regional Center) of cancellation clause.  Insured entities shall include: A)        the Regional Center; B)        the Department, and its guests, officers, and employees; C)        the owners of selected training sites; and D)        the participating cycle dealers (if applicable). 4)         All advanced course students must provide their own cycle or have the owner's written permission to use a borrowed cycle.  All cycles used by advanced course students must be properly registered and insured for liability damage. 5)         Regional Centers carry excess medical insurance coverage for students enrolled in the Program.  If a student is injured while participating in the Program, he/she must first submit the medical bills to his/her own insurance carrier.  The Regional Center's coverage is considered a secondary policy.  If the student does not have medical insurance, the Regional Center's medical coverage will be the primary insurer for the claim, up to the limit of its coverage. d)         Public Relations A Regional Center may implement a multi-media public relations program. Regional Centers are encouraged to secure free promotional opportunities through any news media. e)         Logo The Department will approve an official Program logo.  The official logo must be used on all Program materials (e.g., course schedules, informational brochures, web sites) used by Regional Centers.  Each Regional Center may adopt a unique logo specific to its Region.  The Regional logo may be used in addition to the Program logo.  All Regional logos and Program materials shall be approved by the Department prior to use. f)         Record Retention All records and reports completed by a Regional Center while under contract with the Department are the property of the Department. 1)         State Records Act All records are subject to the State Records Act and shall be maintained in accordance with the Department's records retention schedule as approved by the State Records Commission. 2)         Record Accessibility The State of Illinois or its representatives shall have access to all Program-related records, documents or reports generated at the Regional Center. g)         Audits All contract costs are subject to audit by the State of Illinois or its representative.  Audits will be conducted after receipt of the final reimbursement claim for a contract year.  The audit procedure may include an on-site inspection of all applicable Program records.  The Department reserves the right to conduct audits on a random basis to verify compliance with this Part.  Regional Centers will be required to reimburse the Department for any unauthorized or improperly documented expenditures.