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An apparent standoff between CT State Community College and the Connecticut Rider Education Program over pricing for motorcycle training courses in 2026 has stalled the start of enrollment for those classes at training locations across the state.
CONREP employees tell RIDE-CT that CT State is seeking a massive 46 percent increase in the fee for the Basic Rider Course – a jump to $350 from $240 in 2025. CONREP is said to have suggested a more modest eight percent increase to $260 back in January, but CT State soon proposed the heftier increase.
Passing the BRC is mandated by the state to obtain an “M” endorsement (for “motorcycle”) on a driver’s license, which is needed to legally ride a motorcycle.
Normally long before the end of March enrollment has already opened for CONREP classes at five community college locations across the state. Early-season BRC classes have routinely and quickly filled up by this point. Motorcycles used in the classes have been taken out of winter storage and prepped for students, and instructors have already begun teaching classes.
However, sources within CONREP tell RIDE-CT that enrollment hasn’t yet commenced this year due to the weeks-long pricing stalemate. CT State’s website reported today that “Registration is currently closed” at campuses offering CONREP courses. Back in January, the website stated that registration at the Naugatuck Valley Community College training site would begin March 23, 2026 and that the BRC would cost $240.
CONREP operates under the state Department of Transportation. It qualifies and oversees the instructors, while CT State sponsors the program and provides the riding ranges and facilities and pays the instructors.
An email seeking a status report on the standoff sent to CONREP’s administrator and to DOT on Monday morning failed to receive an answer by the end of the business day. In a response to a similar inquiry sent to CT State, RIDE-CT was informed “…enrollment fees for the upcoming season have not yet been finalized, and we are not able to confirm specific pricing information at this time.”
Melissa Lamar, CT State’s director of media and public relations, explained, “CT State is finalizing discussions with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, our motorcycle training partner. We value our ongoing partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and appreciate the collaboration as we work together to support a high-quality, accessible training program.”
Lamar added, “Once these discussions are complete, CT State will make the class schedule available and share final program details. Additional information will be released as soon as it becomes available.”
CT State reportedly posted a $350 BRC fee for 2026 on its website back in winter, but later scrubbed the price. The cost of the BRC was last increased in 2023 when it went to $240. While CONREP wants a piddling $20 bump this year, CT State seeks a whopping $110 price increase, according to the CONREP insiders.
The only other sanctioned training option in the state is offered by Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson in New London, which charges $395 for its “New Rider Course,” which has a significantly smaller class size and mandates more hours of training. The dealer’s website shows that class openings are nonexistent until late June at the earliest and only lists three classes between late June and mid-August whereas CONREP offers hundreds of options.
Some in CONREP consider a $350 fee to be excessive for what is a mandatory course and potentially prohibitive to many would-be riders. They believe such an increase would result in some unendorsed riders skipping the BRC and riding illegally without the proper required training, making those riders a danger to themselves and to others.
Until the situation is resolved, aspiring riders are stymied at a time when enthusiasm and demand for classes is always highest. Besides adversely impacting incoming students, the pricing tiff could also hurt motorcycle dealers in Connecticut at the start of the riding season as they won’t be able to welcome new riders who have just completed the BRC and received their M endorsements.
(Photos by Bud Wilkinson.)
