 |
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
NEWS RELEASE
2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546
NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546 |
| FOR RELEASE: June 9, 2015 |
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062
FAX: (860) 594-3065
WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot |
State Agencies Partner to Provide Safety Training for Three-Wheeled Vehicles
The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Connecticut Rider Education Program and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have partnered to address a growing segment of the population who choose to ride three-wheeled motorcycles.
Officials at DOT and DMV recognized the need for
additional training services as new types of vehicles gained popularity and
gaps existed in programs meant to train prospective riders. The agencies worked to develop language and
policy to create a special endorsement on a driver’s license to indicate the
eligibility to operate a three-wheeled motorcycle only. Specifically, this cooperation resulted in
the drafting and passage of Public Act
15-46 that created this new special license classification. This Public Act was
signed by the governor on June 5, 2015.
Legislation
passed in January of 2011 mandated that a state approved motorcycle-training
course be successfully completed prior to the issuance of a motorcycle
endorsement on a driver’s license. Until recently, administrative and fiscal limitations
on the training program made it only possible to obtain this endorsement while
training on a two-wheeled motorcycle. The
ability to operate a traditional two-wheeled motorcycle is one that only those who
are physically able can accomplish. This
leaves out a large segment of the population who can’t operate a two-wheeled
motorcycle due to physical limitation.
The
cooperative effort between agencies resulted in updates to state policy that will
allow for a participant to take the Connecticut Rider Education Program course
on a three-wheeled motorcycle and receive an endorsement for three-wheeled
motorcycles only. Participants who take the course on two-wheeled motorcycles
will continue to receive the traditional motorcycle endorsement; allowing them
to operate either a two-or a three-wheeled motorcycle. Training
courses will be provided at Gateway Community College in North Haven and are
taught by highly qualified instructors.
Students will participate in classes using the Evergreen Safety
Council’s three-wheeled training curriculum.
This training program is the only curriculum of its kind and incorporates
sidecars, trikes and spiders into basic rider education. Participants will be
encouraged to use their own vehicles as long as they are registered and
insured, though training vehicles will be provided to students who do not have
a vehicle.
The
Connecticut Rider Education Program will use dedicated motorcycle safety funds to
retrofit Suzuki TU250 motorcycles with trike conversion kits produced by
Yelvington Trikes L.L.C out of Seminole Florida. Spiders
will be acquired through a no cost dealer loan program from CanAm-BRP at a
local dealer. Side-cars will be incorporated as soon as a qualified vendor has
been identified. These conversions and
loaner programs have allowed the State to provide training and vehicles to
perspective students at very little cost.
This program requirement does not apply to the class of motorcycles known as “autocycles” that was also created through Public Act 15-46. Autocycles have three wheels, but unlike trikes, they have steering wheels and foot pedals and are fully or partially enclosed. An autocycle rider is not required to have an endorsement on his or her license.