New York Lesson Plan Updates

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) strives to provide you with the latest teaching materials. Toward that end, we have updated your New York Accident Prevention Course classroom room materials.

While there are no legislative updates or other changes required by regulation, we have updated the statistics (though there is still some lag, likely due to the pandemic). As such, we are making available the latest version of the Lesson Plan and the Slide Presentation to reflect these edits.

You may download these materials using the links below:

• Lesson Plan
• Slide Presentation

Student Completion Notifications

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is always working to improve your experience using our administrative tools. Toward that goal, we have improved the functionality of our notification system that briefs you on the student completions that your traffic violator school (TVS) has processed.

Instead of multiple emailed notifications arriving throughout the day (one for each student graduated), you'll now receive a Daily Summary of student completions processed by your school. Your summary should show up in your inbox each day in the evening. This new feature is available immediately.

We believe this change will simplify your accounting and make it easier to see how many students you've graduated each day. And your overworked email inbox will thank us, too!

Florida Third-Party Testing Regulations

As your traffic safety curriculum/services provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is passing along the following reminder from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) regarding activities prohibited to providers and re-sellers of the "Third-Party Testing" (Driver's Permit Test Online) program:

APPOINTMENTS FOR DRIVER LICENSE SERVICES: The Third-Party Administrator may not secure appointments for driver license services on behalf of the applicant. The [DHSMV]'s driver license appointment system was designed to give public access to driver license services. Manipulating the appointment system for financial gain such as selling appointments is strictly prohibited.

As a reminder, any violation of this or any other regulatory stipulations will result in the immediate termination of the applicable sections of your affiliate licensing agreement with TSC (viz., the "Driver Permit Test Online" provisions, in the above-mentioned case).

Please contact Donna (800 . 252 . 9951) if you have any questions regarding this policy.

California TVS Booklet Shipping Costs

Due to a recent increase in shipping rates by the United States Postal Service (USPS), Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is forced to adjust the postage charges for shipping traffic violator school (TVS) booklet stock to affiliates.

Moving forward, books may be ordered in multiples of five (5), and will be shipped via Priority Mail in either flat-rate boxes and/or weighed bags.

The new shipping quantities and rates are reflected in an updated "Book Shipping Rates" table on the page of your CA Course Provider account (login required) used to order book stock (Book Management > Request Book Stock > Shipped).

(As always, if you're nearby our corporate offices and would like to pick up books directly from us, you may do so free of charge after you've placed your book order online and been notified that it's ready to be picked up.)

New California Laws for 2022

 

A new year brings new traffic laws to California. Several new laws will take effect in 2022. As a provider of traffic safety and driver education in the state, you should familiarize yourself with these changes so you can provide proper education and assistance to your students.

Internet Curriculum Update

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) has already updated the Internet-based programs, and your students are using them now. No further action is required for this modality.

Booklet Curriculum Update

Those of you who are offering the home study booklet must ensure that you are providing students with updated curriculum materials. Download from the CA Course Provider administrative website (login required) the latest final exam forms and answer keys, available now, and begin using those immediately.

The copyright notice is at the
bottom of the Table of Contents page.

The next order of books that you receive from TSC will be the latest edition. You may continue to use "old" booklets from your inventory. However, if the bottom of the Table of Contents page of a book that you are issuing to a student does not have a 2022 copyright (see example picture), you must include a "booklet insert" (available for download from the CA Course Provider Administration website) with that student's materials.

Make sure that you ship the latest versions of the home study booklet (or include an insert) and testing materials, as you will be responsible for teaching/testing students on this new material!

Classroom Curriculum

Those of you who are delivering classroom instruction must ensure that you are teaching students the updated curriculum. Download the electronic files from the CA Course Provider administrative website (login required) for the latest Lesson Plan updates, Safe Driving Journal (student and instructor versions), and final exam forms/answer keys. The files are available now, and you should begin using the updated materials immediately.

Make sure that you and/or any instructors you employ are explaining the new laws to students and distributing the latest versions of the classroom materials, as you will be responsible for teaching/testing students on this new material!

Occupational License Renewals

Get your paperwork together 
early to ensure that
your license renewals are
processed on time!

As your traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) works to make the administrative tasks that all schools face as trouble-free as possible. Toward that end, this month we'd like to discuss the occupational licensing renewal process with you.

School and Operator Renewals

Recall that you must renew your traffic violator school/owner license and your traffic violator school operator license annually. (Instructor licenses must be renewed every three years; while you may serve in all three of those positions for your school, that will be a topic for another day.)

For owner/operator renewals, remember these helpful tips:

• Do not wait to get your renewal notice in the mail from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before starting to assemble your renewal application. We recommend submitting your renewal eight (8) weeks prior to your license expiration date. This will allow for shipping problems and processing delays at the DMV.
• Make sure to start your 4-hour operator continuing education course in time to allow you to finish it comfortably and get your completion certificate in the mail. Remember that you'll receive a reminder email from us about taking the course, as well as a notice via your CA Course Provider administrative website (login required) that includes a link for discounted tuition for TSC affiliates.
• Include in your renewal application all required paperwork, including…
  • occupational licensing forms
    • OL 740
    • OL 45A
    • OL 142
    • OL 756
  • check(s) for renewal fees
    • currently $101, if the same person serves as the owner and operator
    • currently $101 for the school/owner and $76 for the operator, if separate
  • 4-hour operator course completion certificate

Modernized Renewal Process Coming

In a previous blog post, we alerted you that the DMV is in the midst of an initiative to launch improved online services for occupational licensees and applicants. TSC will share with you more detailed information as it becomes available, but be aware that it is likely to change—and significantly streamline—the license renewal process.

This new system, coming soon, will allow occupational licensees and applicants to use an online portal to:

• apply for, renew, or modify an occupational license
• make online payments
• receive helpful notifications about the status of applications and renewals

Spring 2022 Audit Preparations

As your traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) makes every effort to ensure that the materials we provide to you are accurate, up-to-date, and informative for you and your students.

As part of our ongoing efforts to assist you with your school's administrative needs, we strongly encourage you to continue checking the TSC Affiliate News blog and our email correspondence for helpful information.

With the subsidence of COVID and related restrictions, California Traffic Safety Institute (CTSI) monitors, DMV's designated regulatory agents, are out in the field conducting audits. Please make sure that you are in compliance with all regulations—including those updated by AB 708.

Especially remember:

• You must have your business hours posted at your school's office. (These will be the same hours as your local court branch for now, but DMV will issue standard hours for all traffic violator schools (TVSs) in the near future.)
• Have your business hours posted on your website as well.
• Make sure that you have a knowledgeable person available in the office during business hours.
• Make sure that your classroom rosters (if you offer that modality) are in order.
• Please have the required records for the audit, including forms:
• TVCC 200X
• TVCC 201X
• OL 770
• OL 771
• If you must leave the office to run an errand, make sure that there is a sign posted with the date and time that you will return.

If you have any questions regarding the monitoring process or an audit, please feel free to reach out to Erika or Chris:

Mr. Chris Kalili
800 . 487 . 1699
chris@trafficeducation.net

Ms. Erika Sharkey
800 . 259 . 0898
erika@trafficeducation.net

Get Better Customer Service!

As your full-service traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) wants to ensure that you receive fast and effective assistance with any problems you might have running your school. Toward that end, we ask that you contact your affiliate support representatives with any requests, including those for website/IT help.

Please contact Chris or Erika, and they will pass along your service request or direct you to the appropriate party to help with your needs.

Mr. Chris Kalili
800 . 487 . 1699
chris@trafficeducation.net

Ms. Erika Sharkey
800 . 259 . 0898
erika@trafficeducation.net

Please note: Chris will be out of the office from April 28 through May 4, 2022. Please contact Erika with any inquiries.

 

We thank you for your cooperation with this situation, and look forward to serving you!

DHSMV Systems Unavailable –Weekend of April 15

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is writing to inform Florida affiliates that any systems that require immediate interaction with Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) computer systems will be unavailable this coming weekend.

We have received notice that DHSMV is migrating its core applications to a new hybrid cloud computing environment; the move is complex and will require a complete shutdown of all DHSMV enterprise systems throughout the weekend. As a result, all of those systems will be unavailable starting 7pm Friday, April 15, 2022. They anticipate that the migration will be completed and all systems will be operational by 8am Monday, April 18.

Functionality that will be impacted—and, therefore, unavailable during the shutdown—will include the ability to…

• purchase completion seals.
• assign completion seals.
• access and take the Driver's Permit Test Online.

All of TSC's other systems will remain available (e.g., students can register and proceed through courses, and the majority of administrative tasks can be performed), as this shutdown relates only to functions that require direct access to DHSMV computer systems.

If you have any questions about this situation, please email Donna or contact her by phone at 800 . 252 . 9951.

Rev Up Your Business for 2022!

Happy Spring! We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) hope that all is well with you, and we're grateful for your participation in our California affiliate program!

TSC has some exciting plans for this year for all of our affiliate partners. We'll share some great revenue-boosting opportunities and helpful marketing suggestions. We'll also be upgrading our IT systems with new security protocols and making some enhancements to our CA Course Provider administrative website (login required) to better serve your traffic violator school (TVS) and driving school management needs. Toward that end, we'll email periodically to alert you of any new information pertaining to our programs, as well as details about Department of Motor Vehicle regulatory revisions (including the latest changes related to the implementation of AB 708 (2019 – 2020 legislative session)).

You are likely aware that TSC was instrumental in writing, lobbying for, and passing AB 708. This industry bill fought for transparency on behalf of TVS students and prospective students, and has significantly boosted business to those local TVSs that have provided quality traffic safety education and customer service to California drivers for decades.

Further, TSC wants to ensure that all of your affiliate questions and needs are addressed efficiently and in a timely manner. If you have any questions or suggestions, or require assistance with any TVS or driving school need, please reach out to your dedicated affiliate coordinators at any time:

Mr. Chris Kalili
800 . 487 . 1699
chris@trafficeducation.net

Ms. Erika Sharkey
800 . 259 . 0898
erika@trafficeducation.net

We value each and every one of our business relationships with our affiliate family, and we operate from the motto that "your success is our success." And we look forward to great success for all in 2022 and beyond!

Announcement: DMV OL Modernization

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has reached out to Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) and asked us to share with our California affiliates information about an initiative to launch improved online services for occupational licensees and applicants. The DMV's main goals with this exciting, new project are to provide superior customer service, optimize internal processes, and update old technology.

The DMV will soon unveil the launch features of their new program. Beginning February 28, 2022,…

• customers applying for a new license will use the online portal to schedule their initial inspections. (Applicants are still expected to submit a paper application, and will be notified via email when it's time to schedule their inspection. This change will not impact customers who currently have an occupational license.)
• the public will be able to electronically file a complaint with the DMV.

The DMV plans to roll out additional features in the summer of 2022 that will allow occupational licensees and applicants to use the online portal to:

• apply for, renew, or modify an occupational license
• make online payments
• receive helpful notifications about the status of applications and renewals

The DMV is still developing the technology behind this system, and will publicize new information about the service features and estimated release dates as it becomes available. Keep an eye out on this blog, as TSC will be forwarding to you any information that we receive!

A provided list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is included immediately below. If you have further questions, you may email them to OL_DXPquestions@dmv.ca.gov.

 

---

 

FAQs

What are the benefits of using the DMV's new online services?

The DMV's online portal will be the quickest way to apply for, renew, or modify an occupational license. Online services will be available 24/7 and will let you skip the need to print and mail paperwork, expediting the process so you get your license faster!

Using online services will also provide helpful email notifications and reminders about the status of your license or application and other important updates.

Will I need to create an online account?

Yes. When the online services launch, you will need to create an account to access them. The DMV will provide detailed instructions about this process closer to launch.

Will the online services work on a mobile device?

Yes. You will be able to use a mobile device or a computer to access the DMV's online services.

What if I get stuck and need help?

The DMV is developing step-by-step videos and help guides that will show you how to use the new system. These will be available when new services launch. DMV staff will also be able to assist if you need extra help.

Searching for Student Records

During annual traffic violator school (TVS) business office reviews conducted by the California Traffic Safety Institute (CTSI) monitoring agency, part of the audit procedure involves a demonstration that student records are maintained to the standards required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). For TVS affiliates of Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) this involves using the Student Search functionality to review TVS students' profiles via TSC's CA Course Provider administrative website (login required).

All affiliates were issued login credentials for this service (usernames and passwords) during initial training. Upon signing in to your CA Course Provider account, you can access student information using the following steps:

1. Click on the "Search" function button, in the top menu bar, to bring up the student search page.
2. Locate the "Completion Date" fields and enter a beginning and ending date range for your search. Please note that the maximum date range for this function is five (5) months (e.g., 05/01/2021 to 09/30/2021).
3. Enter, in the appropriate field(s), the last name or driver license number of the student whose record you are attempting to locate. If you search without entering a specific student's information, the system will pull up the records of all students who completed the course during the specified date range.
4. Click the "SEARCH" button at the bottom of the page.

Remember: The CA Course Provider administrative Web service retains all electronic student records dating back to the time when you became an affiliate of TSC. You must ensure that you are entering the correct five-month period for any year you are searching, or you will not be able to locate the information of the student you are looking for!

If you have any questions, please get in touch with TSC Affiliate Program staff (see the Contact List on the sidebar of this blog or this recent post)—Chris Kalili or Erika Sharkey—for assistance.

TSC Affiliate Program Contact Information

Happy New Year to all of our affiliates from Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc. (TSC)!!!

This blog post is just a reminder that we're here to help! If you require assistance with any of the traffic safety education programs (traffic school, driver education, mature driver, practice permit tests) that you license from TSC, our Affiliate Program staff are here to guide through any difficulties. With any questions you might have, or for updates to your TSC-managed websites or technical assistance with your affiliate management software, please feel free to contact:

Mr. Chris Kalili
800 . 487 . 1699
chris@trafficeducation.net

Ms. Erika Sharkey
800 . 259 . 0898
erika@trafficeducation.net

All voicemail and email messages will be returned
within 24 hours during regular business hours.

We thank you for your business, and look forward to a successful 2022 with all of you!!!