RENO The Nevada Transportation Services Authority is easing up on its controversial regulation of the motorcoach industry, much to the delight of a former bus operator who has been feuding with the agency for years.

"Theyre finally becoming regulators rather than the Gestapo police theyve been in the past," said Bob Fairman, a Carson City trucking company owner who sold his charter bus business last year because he was tired of fighting with the agencys team of inspectors and enforcement officers.

Among the major changes being made by a reorganized TSA board are shortening the time it takes operators to become certified in the state, making it easier for operators to get new tariff approvals, and reducing the number of violation tickets issued by the agency.

"Things might be a little friendlier now," suggested Fairman, adding that the changes could help ease some of the tensions that have built up over the years between TSA employees and bus operators.

Fairman, the former owner of No-Stress Express, has been the front man for a coalition of motorcoach operators that have relentlessly but unsuccessfully lobbied state lawmakers to either reign in the TSA or abolish it and turn its duties over to other state agencies.

He also was behind a failed federal lawsuit the coalition filed against the TSA that accused it of violating federal laws by regulating federally certified interstate motorcoach carriers.

While the state Legislature and the federal court did little to settle any of the myriad complaints from the motorcoach industry, the authority board finally began a self-generated overhaul this year following the resignation of its chairwoman.

Commissioner Andrew J. MacKay, who had been on the board for 18 months, was appointed chairman in mid-February. He quickly formed an association with Commissioner Samuel A. Thompson, who joined the board in January 2006, and Commissioner Leslie Miller, who came on board in early March.

Although they insist that not all of the criticism the TSA has received from Fairman and coalition members has been justified, some of their concerns were solid enough to warrant action.

"We would be remiss if we said none of the complaints were valid," said Thompson.

The most far-reaching change shortens the time it takes for interstate carriers to be certified to operate in the state by doing away with full-scale investigations, financial reviews, and hearings that take months and sometimes longer. Under the new policy, the operators need only produce documents confirming they are federally certified, have a good safety record and carry the required amount of insurance to be approved.

"Once they show us those, they could be in business the next day," said MacKay. "We figure if theyre federally chartered, then that should be enough for them to get into business here."

He said intrastate carriers still will have to undergo the full process because they are not subject to federal regulatory scrutiny.

Thompson said his support for the new policy was emphasized after he watched Southwest Charter Lines of Gilbert, Ariz., struggle for a year and one-half to become certified to work in Nevada even though it was a federally approved interstate carrier.

"It was the last one before we changed the rule and I told the company that I was going to name the new policy after them," he added.

David Pike, a Southwest Charter co-founder and vice president, said the exercise was exhausting and should not have been necessary because he and others believe that federally certified interstate carriers cannot be regulated by state officials.

"It costs us a lot of money and a lot time," he said.

MacKay said the new policy and a similar easing of the time it takes for carriers to get decisions on requests for new tariffs are aimed at making it easier for motorcoach operators to do business in the state.

"We want to be as less intrusive as possible and not too heavy handed," he said.

The policy to reduce the number of violation citations that enforcement officers issue is an effort by the board to put on a more friendly and professional face, say board members.

MacKay said some nonsafety violations record keeping errors for instance will result in telephone calls or letters to the carriers informing them they have committed a violation and need to correct the situation immediately.

"Well be doing this on a case-by-case basis," he said.

He said the board also is considering issuing formal warnings to bus drivers that give them 30 days to make corrections. They would be similar to repair tickets that police issue motorists who are stopped for having something wrong with their vehicle such as a burned-out tail light.

"We dont want to issue citations and impound vehicles if they really didnt know something was wrong," he added. "But if we see them on the road again later with the same problem, then they would get a citation."

In addition to the policy changes, the board unlike in the past has gotten behind proposed state legislation being pushed by Fairman and the coalition that would make further improvements to the agency. They include requiring TSA inspectors to be trained to inspect motorcoaches and requiring them to wear uniforms so they could be more easily identified.

The measure, which appears headed for passage before lawmakers end their 2007 session in June, also would authorize a third party to adjudicate complaints filed by motorcoach operators against TSA employees and change the name of the agency to the Nevada Transportation Authority to differentiate it from the federal Transportation Security Administration.

"Even some of our distracters of the past have spoken in favor of it," said MacKay, adding that he is cautiously optimistic the legislation will pass. "If it doesnt pass, though, then a lot of good work by everyone will have gone for naught."

Thompson said the administrative and legislative changes will help the agency weed out illegal and unsafe carriers, which he emphasized could endanger others and take jobs and money away from legitimate motorcoach operators.

"We are here to protect the traveling public and we want to see people get into business here, and we are not going to compromise on safety and insurance" added MacKay.