But the series of DMV changes announced by Gov. Mark Sanford Thursday, and pending legislation that will continue the reform process, provide tangible encouragement that this time around, the promises will be kept.

As Brian Hicks reported in Friday's Post and Courier, among the improvements announced by Gov. Sanford: DMV will open six of its regional offices on Saturdays during the summer; drivers soon will be able to renew licenses over the Internet; in-office customer transactions will be streamlined by the addition of more greeters who help them get their paperwork in order in advance; in-house labor on information technology and inmate labor for maintenance will reduce costs.

The governor wasn't the only elected official delivering good DMV news Thursday. House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, joined him in predicting that comprehensive DMV reform legislation will pass before the General Assembly adjourns next month.

A focal point of that bill is the transformation of DMV into a stand-alone agency that reports, through its executive director, directly to the governor. This common-sense move to enhance DMV accountability is overdue.

As Gov. Sanford accurately observed Thursday, "If you're looking for one agency that has historically symbolized everything that doesn't work in state government, it's the DMV."

The General Assembly obviously faces other pressing issues, particularly a budget debate intensified by lean revenues, as this year's legislative session winds down. But prudent DMV reforms, as Gov. Sanford explained Thursday, won't just save time for our state and its residents. Those reforms could save money, too. Gov. Sanford said Thursday that those savings could rise to $2.5 million in technology and maintenance costs alone.

The Senate should move forward on the DMV reform bill passed by the House. We've waited long enough.