New York will now allow five-hour pre-licensing courses to be conducted virtually.
Applicants for a driver’s license are required to take the course and receive the MV-278 completion certificate before they can sign up for a road test.
Even as the Department of Motor Vehicles has reopened for road tests, applicants who had not completed the five-hour course before driving schools closed in March were unable to sign up.
Now, however, any DMV-licensed driving school that is currently authorized to teach pre-licensing courses can choose to conduct it via distance learning technology like Zoom.
According to the state’s guidance, courses must be delivered live, in real-time, by a qualified instructor. The class must allow for interaction between instructor and students.
Once the course has been completed, schools must mail the instructor-certified MV-278 to students with instructions for the student to sign it before scheduling their road test.
Capital Region driving schools are already starting to offer the virtual option.
The announcement is separate from an online option pilot program approved by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Oct. 2019, which is still accepting applications from providers who would like to participate.
The online option offered through that program was completely automated and not taught by a live instructor. The option was scheduled to take effect in June 2020 and expire in 2025, unless renewed.
At the time, driving schools, facing the possibility of losing business, raised safety concerns. Some said that the instruction would be less impactful without a personal touch.
Reader appreciation: This is not a question, nor a complaint. I just wanted to convey a BIG thank you to all the men and women who have worked this summer on the resurfacing of Route 43 between West Stephentown and West Sand Lake. This stretch of road has been in rough shape for years and I’m sure anyone that travels this road is as happy as I am.
It certainly is a joy to drive on now.
—Gerri Biggins, Averill Park
Route 146: The state Department of Transportation will hold an online public hearing on Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. to discuss plans to change the intersection of Route 146 (Carman Road) and Lydius Street in Guilderland into a one-lane roundabout.
The hearing can be accessed via the project website, www.dot.ny.gov/146carmanroad. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments after a presentation about the project. Comments may also be sent to the DOT by Aug. 17.
Plans call for a new sidewalk along eastbound Route 146 between Coons Road and the existing sidewalk north of Jessamine Lane and resurfacing Route 146 between Coons Road and the Thruway bridge. It is scheduled to begin spring 2021.
The DOT says that the project will improve safety for motorists and pedestrians, reduce traffic delays and improve traffic flow through the intersection.
Columbia Turnpike: The ramp from westbound Columbia Turnpike (Routes 9 and 20) to Route 4 north will be closed from 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3 to Labor Day. The DOT is installing sidewalks along the turnpike between Route 4 and Hays Road in East Greenbush.
Passenger vehicles will be able to turn right onto Route 4 at the traffic light. Trucks will be detoured over the Dunn Memorial Bridge.
Later in August, expect periodic lane closures and shifts.
Have a question about transportation in the Capital Region? Email gettingthere@timesunion.com and include your name, town and phone number or tweet @abigail_rubel.
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Getting There: Five-hour New York driving course offered online - Times Union
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