Still Surviving Mandatory Boater Education Phase-In

Marty LawEducation/Information Manager

MariAnn KoloszarMandatory Boater Education Coordinator

HistoryHistory In 1999, the Oregon legislature passed the Mandatory

Boater Education law requiring boating safety education for power boaters operating boats of 10 hp or more.

The program will affect over 250,000 boaters with a wide range of boating experience.

The Oregon State Marine Board was charged with the task of implementing the program over a period of ten years.

In the beginning…In the beginning…

The Law Provided the framework for the program

Administrative Rules Defined the law and outlined implementation of the

program.

Survival PlanSurvival Plan Assessed the situation Set goals Received advice from experts and friends Plotted the course Filed a float plan Built a good team Expect the unexpected Utilized new technology

Assessed the SituationAssessed the Situation

Big State Small agency Traditional boating education partners in limited

geographic areas No established volunteer program No boating safety classroom course curriculum Small budget

Set GoalSet Goal

Implement a Mandatory Boater Education Program that will...”provide all Oregon boaters

convenient access to boating safety courses where they will learn to be safe, courteous, and

responsible.”

Non-Proctored Mandatory Education Program - HB2977 - Appendix C

1999-2001 2001-2003 2003-2005 2005-2007 2007-2009 TotalPersonal Services1-Prog Rep 1 $39,562 $85,028 $92,591 $101,005 $107,866 $426,0521-PSR 3 15,068 62,696 67,576 73,420 79,018 297,7781-Data Processor 1 13,035 54,093 58,100 62,897 66,926 255,051Total 67,665 201,817 218,267 237,322 253,810 978,881

Service & SuppliesTravel 1,780 3,560 3,000 3,000 2,500 13,840Office Supplies 2,000 11,500 10,000 10,000 7,500 41,000Education Cards: Processing & Postage ($.84 ea) 31,416 17,136 38,556 55,356 37,707 180,171 Carrier Sheet & Window Env ($.05 ea) 1,937 1,057 2,378 3,414 2,325 11,111 Plastic Card ($.15 ea) 5,610 3,060 6,885 9,885 6,733 32,173Postage - Course 905 2,452 4,174 5,998 3,570 17,099Postage - Application 600 1,434 1,732 2,489 1,481 7,736Telecommunication 2,675 10,031 10,070 10,070 8,025 40,871Employee Recruit/Dev 800 400 0 0 0 1,200Employee Training 500 3,750 4,000 4,000 3,000 15,250Prof Services - Emp Asst 16 120 128 128 96 488Temp Services 9,454 56,554 56,554 56,554 37,645 216,761Data Process 1,019 7,133 7,133 7,133 5,095 27,513Equipment Maintenance 0 0 0 0 0 0$250-$5,000 Prop (Emp) 11,400 15,200 0 0 0 26,600Publicity/Publications: 0 Press Releases 800 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 7,200 Counter Cards 0 9,750 0 0 0 9,750 Application Forms 1,419 3,390 4,093 5,882 3,501 18,285 Publication Course 4,115 11,145 18,971 27,263 16,228 77,722Contingency - 3% of Total Cost 0 14,137 14,622 16,373 13,842 58,974Total Professional Services 76,446 173,409 183,896 219,145 150,848 803,744

Cap OutlayBEC/Database Management Program 29,500 0 0 3,124 0 32,624Scanner & Software 20,500 0 0 3,600 0 24,100Total 50,000 0 0 6,724 0 56,724

Total Program Cost: 194,111 375,226 402,163 463,191 404,658 1,839,349

Revenues $10 Certificate 374,000 204,000 459,000 659,000 448,890 2,144,890 $8 Duplicate * 0 3,515 7,035 10,550 22,504 43,604 $4 Course 2,532 6,856 11,672 16,776 9,987 47,823Total Revenues 376,532 214,371 477,707 686,326 481,381 2,236,317

Rev Over-realized or (Shortfall) $182,421 ($160,855) $75,544 $223,135 $76,723 $396,968

* Dupl fee $5 through January 2007

Received advice from Received advice from experts and friendsexperts and friends

Contacted other States with a Mandatory Education Program

Formed a Mandatory Education Working Group

Involving USCGA, USPS, Marine Patrol Officers, Marine Board staff, boat dealers and the general public

Plotted the coursePlotted the course

Types of Courses: Home Study Equivalency Exams (Proctored) Classroom Course Internet Hardship

Filed a float planFiled a float plan

Publicized the Program: Traditional Media (PSA’s, and newspaper) Newsletter to all registered boat owners Registration materials Boat Shows Marine Patrol Officers Partners (USCGA, USPS, Marine Dealers, etc.) Internet

Built a good teamBuilt a good team

USCGA USPS Agents (Sporting good stores, boat dealers) Marine Patrol Volunteer Instructors And of course….our STAFF

Expect the UnexpectedExpect the Unexpected

Home Study hell!!

Cheating Manually correcting tests

Data entry…never ended Phone calls…never ended

Paper, Paper, Paper…AAAAHHHHH Long days

EVERYONE in education opening mail and sorting

Boating Basics Tests

148170 167

1,403

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1996 1997 1998 1999

148 170 167 1403

49,058

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Boating Basics Tests (Calendar Year, including cutoff period)

Utilized New TechnologyUtilized New Technology

Purchased a scanner, server and “optical character recognition” software

Developed an Internet based database program Developed a process for mailed applications

and internet data Developed a Boaters Education Card

Packed a Good Packed a Good Sense of HumorSense of Humor

Spent hours on the phone with boaters insisting, “this is just another way for the government to get more money out of them.

“Accidentally” putting the supervisor’s extension number on 60,000 application forms

Tried to have empathy for boaters who could afford a 40 ft boat or bigger, but not a $10 one-time fee.

Where are we now…Where are we now…

6th year of the phase-in 70 and younger

2009 All boaters

We can see the light at the end of the tunnelWe can see the light at the end of the tunnel

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPT OCT NOV DEC

Yearly Application Trends (Home Study & Phase-In)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

41,041

53

6,881

116

18,416

374

26,329

687

26,979

969

30,849

1,269

36,562

1,697

27,638

1,549

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Yearly Totals of Applications & Replacement Cards

Total # of Apps Total # of Repl

In Summary…In Summary…

215,000 people have their education cards 82% in compliance 65% taken on the Internet 20% taken some type of proctored exam 15% took the Home Study course

Lessons Learned…and Lessons Learned…and Still LearningStill Learning

Laws & RulesLaws & Rules

Statutes Rule Marine Patrol Officers

The CardThe Card Modifications Problems with card stock

SoftwareSoftware

Upgrades Compatibility Contracts

DataData

Application Verification Some interpretation Databases Internet Data

VolunteersVolunteers

Quantity Qualified Not their own agenda Audits

And Finally…And Finally…

Boating PublicBoating Public

Proctored Internet Lack of reading Phones calls Age groups

Final Word…Final Word…

Work in Progress Keep a good Sense of Humor Work with other states Very Rewarding Successful

Questions?Questions?