Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration

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Instructors Wanted!

​The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration is looking for experienced motorcyclists to be part-time Instructors.

Teaching rider-training courses part-time can be exciting, add a new dimension to your life, expose you to people with similar interests, and keep your motorcycling skills sharp while earning money.  If you have a passion for motorcycling, are patient, encouraging, a good communicator and friendly, you may want to become a Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Approved Motorcycle Safety Instructor for the Motorcycle Safety Program.  Following is a description of the Instructor Preparation Course, a.k.a. RiderCoach Prep (RCP).

To be considered for participation in a RCP an applicant must first be sponsored by one of the Programs training providers.  Our regulations require that an Instructor be employed by one of our training centers.  Sponsorship indicates that the sponsoring center will hire you after successful completion of the RCP.

The MDOT MVA Motorcycle Safety Program RCP prepares individuals to teach the approved Motorcycle Safety Program rider education courses.  Individuals that successfully completing the RCP will teach these approved rider education courses at their sponsoring training center. These individuals will also become Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Certified RiderCoaches.
 
RiderCoach/Instructor Prep Course

RCP Courses are conducted at one of the Programs training centers and include both classroom and range (riding) sessions. Courses are conducted in the spring.  The process of recruiting for the Spring RCP begins in the fall of the previous year.  Tentative schedules for RCP courses are sent to our training providers prior to the start of the recruiting process.  The fee for the RCP is usually $375, but could vary, and includes all materials.

A prerequisite for the RCP is that an applicant has completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course 2014 (updated) that included the eCourse.  The applicant will have to provide proof of completion.  This is to help familiarize the applicant with the course they will be teaching.

The typical RCP includes approximately 49 to 56 hours of formal instruction scheduled primarily on weekends over an 8 to 10-week period. The schedule includes one two-hour orientation session.  The remaining sessions are seven to eight-hours long. 

A prospective applicant must be able to commit to the entire training schedule. Ideally, an applicant must be available every weekend through the entire RCP. If a session had to be rescheduled and a candidate not be able to attend the new date, he or she would not be allowed to continue the course.  Sessions cannot be made up.

Attendance at each course session is mandatory. Instructor Candidates arriving late to or missing a scheduled session will not be allowed to continue in the course. 

All applicants are required to attend an Orientation Session.  The purpose of this session is to familiarize the applicant with the RCP process and provide some history about the Program.

At this session applicants will be provided with their course working materials and given a precourse assignment to be completed and turned in prior to the next RCP session.  The purpose of the precourse is to familiarize the applicant with the curriculum and prepare them for the RCP sessions.  Any applicant not submitting a completed precourse assignment prior to the next session will not be allowed to continue in the RCP. 

Candidates will also average approximately six hours of at home preparation and study per week. The required instructional materials are provided by the MDOT MVA and remain the property of the MDOT MVA until the candidates successfully complete the course. Candidates electing to drop or who are counseled out of the course will be required to return their materials.  There are no refunds of the course fee.

Throughout the course candidate performance is evaluated. Candidates not achieving the minimum performance standards will be counseled out of the course. To successfully complete this course, a candidate must:

  1. ​Attend all scheduled course sessions;
  2. Complete and submit all assignments;
  3. Demonstrate the ability to facilitate and use learner centered teaching activities in the classroom;
  4. Demonstrate correctly all the riding exercises;
  5. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, coach and correct student performance;
  6. Pass a riding skill evaluation;
  7. Pass all the knowledge tests; and
  8. Pass student teaching.
The final phase of the RCP is Student Teaching during which candidates will demonstrate their knowledge and skill by teaching a group of new riders enrolled in an entry-level Basic Rider Course. Student Teaching adds about 20 hours to the RCP.
 
Minimum Qualifications for an Instructor Applicant

To enroll in a RCP and qualify for MDOT MVA Instructor approval and MSF RiderCoach Certification, applicants shall:

  1. ​Be at least 21 years old;
  2. Be a high school graduate or equivalent;
  3. Hold a valid motorcycle license (Class M) for at least one calendar year;
  4. Have held a valid driver’s license for at least three previous consecutive years;
  5. Have a satisfactory driving record for the previous three consecutive years – no more than 3 points, no suspensions, revocations or a series of citations or convictions that indicate poor driving behavior;
  6. Have completed the entry-level Basic Rider Course 2014 (updated) as a student;
  7. Be in good health and be reasonably physically fit; and
  8. Have not been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude (accepted applicants will be required to get a Federal Criminal Background Check usually through their sponsoring training center).

Applying to Enroll in a RCP

Our training centers hire Instructors to work at their locations. To apply for enrollment in an RCP, interested individuals should first contact a training center near them, or one where they want to work, and inquire as to whether the center is looking to hire any new Instructors. Our training centers conduct the initial interview of potential applicants and then sponsor the individuals they select in the MDOT MVA RCP courses. Selected individuals will submit a complete application through their sponsoring training center. A complete application must include:

  1. ​A letter of sponsorship from an approved training center;
  2. An Instructor Candidate Application Form; and
  3. A complete certified copy of a driving record if licensed in another state.
The Instructor Candidate Application Form is available from the sponsoring training center. The Motorcycle Safety Program will only consider applications from individuals sponsored by one of its training centers.

Instructor Work Schedule

To qualify to renew Instructor Approval/Certification Motorcycle Safety Instructors are required to teach a minimum of two complete motorcycle safety courses, including classroom and range, or the equivalent, per year.  Work schedules are assigned by the training centers.  Your sponsoring training center may want you to commit to teaching more courses.

Instructors are also required to attend all required professional development workshops and meetings.  Individuals unable to complete work assignments and/or fail to attend required meetings could be released by their training center and lose their Instructor credentials.
 
Additional Information

Program Office:
MDOT MVA
Motorcycle Safety Program
6601 Ritchie Hwy, N.E. Room 102
Glen Burnie, MD 21062-1000

Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Phone: (443)572-8236

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