Vermont DMV previewing motorcycle safety season, reports high course pass rates

Pat, supervisor of the Education Unit at the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, told the House Transportation Committee on April 15 that the agency is opening motorcycle-rider training sites across the state this weekend and expects an active season through October.

The program the DMV runs is the Vermont Rider Education Program (VERIP), a long-running motorcycle-safety program taught to Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) standards. "We start with the very basics. We teach them, this is your clutch. This is your front brake. This is your rear brake," Pat said, describing the two-day basic rider course. He added, "By the end of the weekend, they're actually riding," emphasizing the program's hands-on progression.

Why it matters: VERIP is the DMV's principal in-state training for new motorcyclists and for riders seeking endorsements. The program supplies both curriculum and, for most beginner classes, state-provided motorcycles. Officials told the committee the training is intended to improve on-road skills and reduce crashes by teaching controlled braking, weaving and emergency maneuvers in a managed range setting.

Key program details and staffing

Pat said the DMV currently lists 7 sites and 8 ranges for VERIP classes (one site contains two ranges). The program includes lifecycle staffing of long‑season and seasonal instructors: the supervisor named Justin McClain and Frederick Goddette as full-year motor vehicle safety and education specialists and said the program includes about 31 BRep instructors in total (including Justin, Frederick and Pat) plus roughly 28 seasonal instructors employed during the riding season. The agency runs a mix of classroom and range work and has a partnership with Wilkins Harley-Davidson for a Harley-specific offering.

Courses and outcomes

VERIP offers multiple course types including a two-day basic rider course, a three-wheeled basic rider course, an intermediate rider course and a one-day advanced rider course. Pat said certain sites are limited by parking-area size and painting requirements and that the St. Johnsbury range closed after flood damage last July but is being prepared to reopen.

On outcomes, Pat provided 2024 statistics: the DMV scheduled 106 basic rider classes and held 92 (cancellations were mainly due to the St. Johnsbury site closure). He said approximately 965 students were enrolled in basic courses, 849 attended, and 754 passed, which he reported as an 88.81% pass rate. For intermediate courses he reported 57 enrolled, 44 attended and 43 passed (97.73% pass rate). Advanced and three‑wheel classes showed high pass rates as well; Pat noted the advanced course includes no pass/fail skills test. He told the committee that when students fall and damage state motorcycles, the program has repair arrangements with local shops and spare parts on site for commonly replaced items such as clutch and brake levers.

Program oversight and quality assurance

Pat said VERIP instructors are certified through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and the DMV recently hosted an MSF quality-assurance class that included representatives from 11 states so the DMV staff can perform their own program audits going forward. He described the program as following MSF national curriculum and noted the military also recognizes MSF training.

Ending

Pat said the first weekend of classes will open the season and the DMV will operate courses through late October. He urged members to note space limitations at specific ranges and that some class types are available only at particular sites because of size and marking requirements.