IPMBA Training

Host an Instructor Course

Thank you for your interest in hosting an IPMBA Instructor Course.  Site selection criteria is listed below.  After reviewing the information, including the IPMBA Instructor Course Checklists and Agreement, please email a brief proposal describing your training facilities and other local amenities.  Be sure to include some date options (Monday-Friday). IPMBA hosts 2-3 Instructor Courses annually, rotating them around the country.

The IPMBA Instructor Course is a five-day, 44-hour course.  Class is typically scheduled Monday-Friday from 8am-6pm, with the exception of the day selected for the night ride, usually Wednesday.  That day’s instruction begins at approximately 1pm.  Friday usually starts and ends earlier to facilitate departures.  A lunch break is typically scheduled from 12-1pm and a dinner break from 5-6pm on the designated night-ride day.  Students and instructors are on their own for meals.  A course syllabus can be found in the Instructor Course Curriculum packet.  A planning schedule will be provided to hosts upon selection.   

Site Selection Criteria

  • Host agency “willing and able” to host the training (see IPMBA Instructor Course Checklists and Agreement)
  • Low or no-cost meeting facilities
  • Ease of access to varied cycling conditions from meeting site, including urban obstacles and off-road
  • Availability of large parking lot convenient to meeting site for on-bike training
  • Proximity of moderately priced accommodations at or convenient to the meeting site

Host Agency Responsibilities

The host agency is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the course is professionally organized and smoothly implemented.  Because this course teaches PCs, EMSCs, and SCs how to be instructors, the students will use it as a model for conducting their own classes.  It is essential that IPMBA maintains its own high standards of instruction.  From the moment the students check in to the awarding of the certifications, the administration of the course should be seamless:  registration desk operating efficiently, classrooms unlocked and properly equipped, bicycles stored close at hand, cones available for set-up when the students arrive at the course, ride guides and communications in place, etc.  Only those agencies equipped to provide the type of facilities, equipment, personnel, and support demanded by this course are considered as potential hosts. 

Facility Considerations

The choice of facility for the IPMBA Instructor Course depends on several factors:  meeting space, access to on-bike training areas, and cost/proximity/quality of lodging and meals.  Ideally, the meeting rooms, training areas, and lodging are located close together; the meeting space and AV equipment are available at no charge; the cost for lodging is reasonable; and dining facilities (cafeteria, restaurant, etc.) are easily accessible and reasonably priced.  Options include: 

Police or Fire Training Academy.  Academies typically have adequate training facilities and equipment for the classroom portions, with suitable on-bike training areas nearby.  The academy must have on-site housing or moderately priced hotels/motels nearby as well as a cafeteria with decent food or nearby, quick restaurants. 

Academic Campus.  In addition to their many classrooms, colleges and universities often have meeting rooms available in the student union or on-campus conference center.  Public colleges may provide meeting space to a police or fire department at no charge.  They loan or rent AV equipment at a reasonable cost and generally permit outside AV.  On-site housing is sometimes available year-round and generally available in the summer months.  Dining options include retail outlets and dining halls.   

Hotel.  Hotels have meeting space that is available at a reduced rate or free to groups that are utilizing sleeping rooms and/or have catered meals.  AV is usually very expensive and outside AV is sometime prohibited or subject to a user fee.  Meals are likewise expensive.  Limited service properties such as Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard by Marriott, etc., sometimes have limited meeting space and are more reasonably priced than the major meeting hotels. 

Planning a course while trying to keep the expenses to a minimum, while providing quality training space and lodging, can be a challenge.  Hosts must be prepared to do their research to provide the participants the best training experience for the least money.

Facility Requirements

This is an instructor level course and it must be conducted in a most professional manner.  Only quality classrooms – roughly square, obstacle-free, with suitable acoustics, ventilation, and temperature control – are acceptable.  Adequate and secure bicycle/gear storage space adjacent to the classrooms is essential.  

Classrooms must have flexible seating in order to expose students to the various types of room sets – theatre, schoolroom, chevron, “U”, hollow square, etc.  The various classroom environmental changes are part of the learning experience.

All classrooms, primary and breakouts, must have a variety of properly functioning audio visual training aids.  See the AV Needs Checklist for a complete list.  Ideally, the AV equipment will be available at no charge.  Many academies are equipped with the full array of AV.  If the course is being held at another type of facility, the host should attempt to make arrangements to borrow the necessary equipment from such community partners as businesses, academic institutions, or other governmental departments. Rental of such equipment is possible, but it is expensive and will drastically affect the overall cost of the course.  In general, IPMBA is unable to reimburse the host agency for the cost of rented AV equipment. 

On-bike facility needs include a large flat parking lot, a large flat grassy area, and an area with usable stairways and other urban obstacles. The Host must secure any necessary permits to use these locations.  Ride guides are to be provided to escort students from the classroom to the on-bike training area, and cones must be procured and transported to the location at the designated times.  Ride guides may not be students in the class.

It is also recommended that a covered location be secured for the on-bike maneuvers, such as a parking ramp or similar facility, in which cone courses can be set up and safely conducted out of the weather (sun, rain, snow, etc.).  At minimum, an inclement weather location should be identified and secured.  

Other Requirements

On-Site Coordination:  A host coordinator must be designated to oversee the planning and implementation of the course.  Prior to the course, the coordinator will be the point of contact for IPMBA staff and instructors.  The host coordinator is responsible for the course logistics and operations, and should be on-site throughout the five days to trouble-shoot and problem-solve. Rarely do things go totally as planned, and when unexpected things occur, it is essential to improvise, adapt and overcome, as the Marines say.  An influential “go to” person within the host organization can make that happen. 

Communications:  A system of communications must be established using radios and/or cellular phones.  Instructors must be able to communicate among themselves and with the host coordinator at all times.  The host coordinator should be accessible via cell phone, radio, and/or pager.  A protocol for summoning EMS in the event of a serious injury must be established and communicated.  In the event of a serious injury or death, the Lead Instructor is the sole spokesperson for the organization. 

Mechanical Support:  If the host agency does not have an expert mechanic on-site, arrangements should be made with a local bike shop to provide support.  The shop can serve as a shipping & receiving station, provide assembly & shipping services for a negotiated fee, and provide discounted parts and/or “drop everything” service for any bike repairs too complex for students.  The name, phone number and address of the shop will be provided to students and instructors. 

Social Functions:  The host agency may schedule social functions, tours, or other activities outside of class hours at its own discretion and expense.  Activities should not be scheduled without prior approval from the lead instructor. 

Cancellation

The break-even point for the course will be determined using relevant expenses.  A cancellation date will be set in accordance with the cancellation policy of the facilities reserved.  If, on that date, the registration numbers are low enough to result in a financial loss, the event will be cancelled and all registration fees (not including instructor application fee, membership dues, or Police/EMS/Security Cyclist certification fee) will be refunded.