Pubdate: Sat, 01 Jan 2005
Source: Ashburton Guardian, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 The Ashburton Guardian
Contact:  http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3192
Author: Jared Morgan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

TRUCKIES DRUG USE 'A SURPRISE'

The prevalence of drug use by truckies in the North Island has come as
a surprise to Mid Canterbury transport operators.

Proposals by freight companies to introduce drug testing have come
after sniffer dogs found traces of drugs in 30 of 90 trucks stopped
and searched by police and Customs at the Auckland port last month.

The operation resulted in four drivers arrested for drug possession,
including one for amphetamines (speed).

Police had long suspected drug use was a problem in the trucking
industry, Senior Sergeant Irwin Van Pelt, head of the northern
commercial vehicle investigation unit said.

"It's part of the culture of the industry," Mr Van Pelt
said.

"To find that in one of every three vehicles checked there were drugs
or had been drugs is a real eye-opener," he said.

However in the South Island the trucking industry tells a different
tale.

New Zealand Road Transport Association (RTA) region four area manager
Pete Goodwin said he was not aware of any drug use within the South
Island trucking industry.

Region four covers the upper half of the South Island from the Waitaki
River north.

Mr Goodwin said the association, a national organisation which sets
guidelines and offers advice to transport businesses, did not condone
the use of drugs within the trucking industry.

"We certainly don't condone the use of drugs for drivers to stay awake
or drive for longer," he said. "It's certainly not a safe practice."

Hobbs and Banks Transport co-owner Peter Hobbs said he was not aware
of any problems associated with truck drivers using drugs in the South
Island.

"I've been in this business for a long time and I've never heard of it
down here," he said.

"We have to operate above the law."

Tinwald company White Line Freight's dispatcher Gary Thompson said he
had not heard of any incidents of drug use among drivers. "It (drug
use) shouldn't be allowed -- I support random drug testing," he said.

Jeff Grieve who operates Grieves Transport said the RTA had
recommended trucking companies drug test their drivers and believed
several Christchurch firms had implemented testing policies.

Mr Grieve said rumours of drug use in the trucking industry had
circulated for years.

"I think it's been going on for a long time," he said.

Individual drivers rather than companies would be accessing the drugs,
Mr Grieve said.

"There's a lot of money wrapped up in gear these days," he said. "It
would affect your insurance if something happened and the driver was
found to be on drugs."

Keith Balderson, of Keith Balderson Transport said the prevalence of
drug use among North Island drivers came as a surprise.

The self-employed driver covers Mid and South Canterbury as well as
making regular runs to the West Coast but does not consider himself to
be a long haul driver.

"No one around here (Mid Canterbury) does those long hauls -- I think
it's the long distance fellas, just pushing the limits," he said.

However Mr Balderson said it may only be a matter of time before drug
use caught on in the south.

"The North Island does lead the way," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek