ONE IN THREE DRIVERS 'USE CANNABIS'

One in three drivers of commercial passenger vehicles such as trucks,
taxis and private hire cars in the Northern Territory used cannabis on
the job, an industry group said today.

NT Taxi Council president Julie Smith said drug use was rife in the
CPV industry, with drivers potentially putting the safety of
passengers at risk.

The NT Government is investigating the claim, which it described as
alarming.

"It is an alarming claim, especially when it comes from a source
within the industry," NT Transport Minister Kon Vatskalis told reporters.

"My department will contact the source and they will have discussions
to get some more information, figures and numbers.

"It's an illegal act to drive a car under the influence of drugs.

"If any of the taxi owners realise one of their drivers is using drugs
it's very easy for them to take disciplinary action and report to police."

The claim comes just days after the Victorian Government announced it
will trial a new device to test drivers for drugs, with up to 30 per
cent of drivers killed in road accidents in that state testing
positive to drugs.

The testing device has the capacity to detect as many as 15 drugs,
including cannabis and methamphetamines.

"We are looking at great interest at what they are doing in Victoria
and the (NT) government will make a decision pending the results of
that trial down in Victoria," Mr Vatskalis said.

Ms Smith said the taxi council would welcome any introduction of such
a device in the territory.

She said there was anecdotal evidence that drug use was widespread
across the CPV industry.

"It's across the board in the CPV (commercial passenger vehicle)
industry," Ms Smith said.

"That involves everything from taxi, minibus, private hire vehicles,
government vehicles like buses, everything, trucks, the lot.

"It's the Territory's way of lifestyle.

"The council, we support any machine coming up here that can stamp
this out."

Ms Smith said the taxi council had raised the issue of drugs in the
industry with police, but it was difficult to prove.

"We have spoken with the police about (this) many times but they are
powerless to do anything," she said.

"A machine like this, if it is proven to be accurate and it works,
well we welcome it."