The Transportation Division functions under cooperative agreements between the PSC, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and several other agencies. These cooperative agreements cover motor carrier vehicle safety and hazardous materials regulation. The primary responsibilities of the PSC’s Transportation Division include establishing rates, certifying and registering motor carriers, and enforcing motor carrier safety on Georgia’s roads and highways.

The Enforcement and Compliance Units of the PSC’s Transportation Division ensure compliance by commercial vehicles with safety and hazardous materials regulations. These Units have 42 uniformed enforcement officers, most of whom reside and work in assigned territories that range in size from 4 to 10 counties. Part of the PSC’s commitment to commercial vehicle safety has been to work with other state and federal agencies and with enforcement divisions in respective counties to promote commercial vehicle safety.

In addition, the PSC’s enforcement officers participate in concentrated efforts in "high crash corridors," the existence of which have been identified from vehicle accident reports by location, time-of-day, day-of-week and other contributing factors. As a result of traffic density, a majority of accidents involving commercial motor vehicles occur on sections of Georgia’s highways that are either major transportation arteries or located near metropolitan areas. By concentrating enforcement activities in these high-risk areas, a dramatic reduction of accidents, fatalities and injuries involving commercial motor vehicles should be apparent in the years to come.

In November of 1997, the Household Goods Consumer Service Report Card was added to the Commission’s web page at http://www.psc.state.ga.us. The availability of this service allows consumers to view the number of complaints received on household goods carriers and identify those carriers operating illegally in this state. This report card is updated weekly.

On December 5, 1997, the PSC voted to revoke the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity held by Father & Son Moving Company after a hearing earlier that year uncovered evidence of the company’s failure to settle customer claims in a proper manner and multiple instances of incompetence and unprofessionalism exhibited by both its movers and management team. The Commission’s decision to revoke the company’s certificate was based upon a conclusion that allowing Father & Son to stay in business in light of these occurrences would not be in the best interest of the public.

During its Administrative Session on May 5, 1998, the Commission approved a Maximum Rate Tariff for the transportation of passengers in limousines. As a result, limousine companies have greater flexibility in setting the rates they will charge in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

As the number of miles traveled each year by commercial motor vehicles increases, PSC enforcement officers have begun to concentrate their efforts in areas designated as "High

Crash Corridors. From July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998, they inspected 1,223 vehicles, found 3,877 violations, and issued over 200 citations. As a result, 178 drivers and 277 vehicles were placed out-of-service.

In the entire state of Georgia during this same period, PSC enforcement officers conducted 25,898 commercial vehicle inspections, found 90,190 violations and placed 7,361 vehicles and 2,736 drivers out-of-service. Of the vehicles inspected, 3,141 transported hazardous materials, of which 662 vehicles and 207 drivers were placed out-of-service.