By Cathy Miller

This week’s Persons of the Week are looking to start their engines!

On a perfect autumn afternoon, a half dozen budding bikers participated in a motorcycle riding class at Warren County Technical School. Under the watchful eye of Rider Coach Michele Beneducci of Rider Education of New Jersey, Inc., each rider carefully and deliberately motored through the course set up in the school’s parking lot.

One of the premier motorcycle safety education operations in the country, Rider Education of New Jersey (RENJ) has taught Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s motorcycle rider courses more than 30 years. Having instructed over 80,000 riders, it’s the oldest, most successful program of its kind in the state.

The non-profit RENJ is based in Edison, with five sites in New Jersey, including the one at Warren County Technical School.

RENJ’s 15-18 hour Basic Rider Course, generally held on Friday evening, all day Saturday and most of Sunday, consists of a basic self-directed e-course, five hours of classroom time and ten hours of on-motorcycle training. Each class has a maximum of 12 students who utilize RENJ-supplied motorcycles during instruction.

In addition to the Basic course, RENJ offers a 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course, Intermediate Rider Course, Experienced Rider Course, Advanced Rider Course, Ultimate Rider Course, and Additional Practice Rider Course.

Happy trails to all those brand new motorcyclists! For more information, visit rider-ed.com.

Pictured above are students in the Basic Rider class at Warren Tech: Henry Martin, Stewartsville; Rexanne Labarre, Harmony; and Kyler Roloson, White Township, all seated on the program’s Suzuki motorcycles.