Occupational Licensing Online Portal

Make sure to start your license
renewal application early—
especially if you're unfamiliar
with the new online system!

As your traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) works constantly to make sure you're informed of the latest happenings in our industry. We've previously published blog posts (here, and in a follow-up) about the transition by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to improved online services for occupational licensees and applicants. The new system has been operational for a few months now, and you are strongly encouraged to use it for fast, secure processing of your renewals and any other services that are offered via that portal.

A recent Occupational Licensing Industry News (OLIN) bulletin from DMV (OLIN 2023-03) adds some further details. In particular, remember:

• Before using online services, users need to create a new or have an existing MyDMV account and must validate their identity to connect to their OL information. User tips and step-by-step instructions are available at dmv.ca.gov/olonline and through OL team members who are ready to assist you at 916 . 229 . 3126.
• Temporary OLs for original and renewal applications will be issued digitally.
• The DMV plans further upcoming additions to their online OL portal.

As always, when assembling your license renewal, make sure to get started early to allow for complications—especially if you're not familiar with the new process!

Transition to the Cloud

As your traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is constantly working to optimize the functionality and reliability of its information technology (IT) systems to ensure a premium experience for you and your students. In service of these efforts, we are currently transitioning our systems to a cloud computing service provider in the hopes of further improving access and availability.

The bulk of the transition has been completed, and we are anticipating finishing up the process in the next week or two. Our IT team performed extensive planning and testing prior to the start of this project, and we do not expect any service interruptions. However, should you experience any problems with your sites or services, from now through approximately March 17, please immediately alert us to the situation by calling 800-341-5554.

We thank you for your patience during this transition period, and look forward to delivering an improved traffic school experience!

New California Laws for 2023

 

A new year brings new traffic laws to California. Several new laws will take effect in 2023. 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 Updated

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) has already updated the instructional content of internet-based courses, and it is being presented to your students now. No further action is required for this modality.

Booklet Curriculum

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 2023 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!

TVCC Currently Unresponsive

[UPDATE:] TVCC access was restored by the middle of the evening. Please remember to check your student records for rejections and resubmit those that did not go through!

As your traffic safety education curriculum services provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is posting this communication to let you know that the Traffic Violator Course Completion (TVCC) database of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is currently unresponsive to our online systems. This outage started at approximately 3:40 p.m. (PT) on January 23, 2023.

We will publish an update to this blog when the system is confirmed back online.

Remember to check your completion rejections for the affected time and resubmit via the CA Course Provider administrative website (login required). And remember that, if customers inquire, their actual completion time (as recorded by our administrative systems) is the time that will be reported to DMV; so long as they passed the course before their due date, their completion will be reported as valid.

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