Texas Statewide Motorcycle Safety Coalition

The following summarizes the results of the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting was to bring together Board members to review and discuss modifications to the TMSC Bylaws; review Standing Committee responsibilities; prepare for upcoming officer elections and appointment of additional board members; discuss TTI grant funding for FY2012; and discuss plans for the 2012 Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum (TMSF).

Jude Schexnyder discussed the need for the TMSC Standing Committees to promote the viewpoint of the TMSC even on contentious issues. He stated that many TMSC members also belong to motorcycle rights organizations that may not always agree with the TMSC stance. After much discussion, a motion was made and approved to modify the TMSC Bylaws to state that the Chairperson of the Legislative Standing Committee, or the person representing the TMSC to the legislature, should not be a member of a motorcycle rights organization. It was also noted that TMSC will continue to work closely with rights groups on legislative efforts. This change must be voted on and approved by the Coalition at the Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum in February.

The group also discussed the importance of the TMSC developing a platform to advance motorcycle safety in Texas. The platform should outline the TMSC viewpoint on various motorcycle safety issues and serve as directive for standing committee activities and tasks. A motion was made and approved for the Board to develop a strategic planning document that establishes what the TMSC stands for and supports.

The responsibilities of the standing committees were reviewed. The group agreed that the standing committees must become more active and meet on a regular basis. It was suggested that the TMSC platform could be used as a basis for directing standing committee activities. A motion was made and approved that the bylaws be modified to require the Legislative, Safety Awareness, Education, and Roadway Engineering & Design Standing Committees to meet quarterly. This change to the bylaws will be presented to and voted on by the Coalition at the 2012 Forum.

Jim Stanford reported that Chairman David Die and Secretary Terri Williams will reach the end of their two year terms in February. Because last year’s budget cuts left the Coalition inactive for part of the year, he recommended that both David and Terri be nominated to serve another two year term. Jim also noted the need to add additional members to the Board. He will solicit help from other Coalition members and try to find potential Board members from under-represented areas of the state.

Patricia Turner briefly discussed the motorcycle safety grants awarded to TTI in FY2012. She reported that TTI received a motorcycle project funded under the TxDOT research program and emphasized that much of the information learned from this project will benefit the TMSC and their efforts. Patricia provided a brief overview of the three projects funded by TxDOT’s Traffic Safety Program: Increasing Recruitment/Retention of Motorcyclist Safety Training Instructors, Statewide Motorist Awareness and Motorcycle Safety Outreach, and Texas law Enforcement Motorcycle Safety and Enforcement Training Course Conversion.

The tentative date for the 2012 Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum is Monday, February 6, 2012. The Board agreed to host the Forum in College Station if an acceptable venue can be found. Stacey Schrank will work with TTI Events Planning group to identify possible locations.

The Board decided to meet again on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 to work on the TMSC platform. A meeting of the general Coalition will be held at the Forum in February.