ATLANTA The transition of passenger carrier oversight in Georgia -- from the state Public Service Commission to the Department of Public Safety -- takes a major leap forward right after the first of the year.

Thats when all motor carriers of passengers, from motorcoach to limousine operators, must have each of their vehicles inspected once a year by a Georgia DPS Motor Carrier Compliance Division officer.

The inspection is expected to include a check of driver files and fitness.

"I applaud it 100 percent, and the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association does, too," said Jimmy Cantrell of Daniels Charters and Tours in Lula, Ga. Cantrell also is vice president of the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association.

This past July, a new state law transferred responsibility for regulation, certification, permitting and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations covering passenger carriers, household goods movers, and "non-consensual" towing operations to the state Department of Public Safety from the Georgia Public Service Commission.

That meant bus, limousine and moving company oversight shifted from a primarily economic regulator to a law enforcement organization.

So, now there may be more bite when the state DPS says those companies that choose to operate illegally "may face both criminal and civil penalties for non-compliance."

Despite the agency and cultural shift, Cantrell says Georgia motorcoach operators generally welcome the change because of the way it has been handled and the outreach initiated by the DPS Motor Carrier Compliance Division.

"They met with us (the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association) at the very beginning when they started up, and they wanted to know what we thought they could do to help us in Georgia -- as far as helping keep the buses safe and everything," said Cantrell.

"One of the things we asked them not to do is to repeatedly inspect the same buses over and over in the same yard, and not going out and inspecting all of the buses (in the state)," he explained.

"What they (the Motor Carrier Compliance Division) came back with is this amendment," saying they will inspect all buses once a year.

In the past, Cantrell said there may have been 300 buses and motorcoaches in the state and the state Public Service Commission may have conducted 300 inspections, "but only about 20 percent of the buses were getting inspected.

"The same buses were being inspected time after time after time," Cantrell said. "And they would do that at my shop and everybodys shop because it was easy."

Under the revamped system, "they are doing what we asked them to do. I am very happy to see this go on and happen," he added.

As part of the new inspection regimen, all new-entrant intrastate (within Georgia) operators, including limousine carriers, must have all of their vehicles inspected by a Motor Carrier Compliance Division officer prior to receiving operating authority from the Georgia DPS.