Pubdate: Mon, 23 Jun 2003
Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: Allied Press Limited, 2003
Contact:  http://www2.odt.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925
Author: Chris Morris

TRUCK DRIVER DRUGS, SPEED CLAIMS DENIED

Employer Defends Industry

Claims New Zealand truck drivers were using drugs to meet deadlines were 
"absolute garbage," according to the manager of a Dunedin transport firm.

Transport Workers Union of Australia federal secretary John Allan last week 
said New Zealand truck drivers were forced to speed and encouraged to take 
drugs to stay awake, meet their deadlines and make a living.

The practices were part of generally poor health and safety standards in 
the trucking industry, causing a serious shortage of truck drivers on both 
sides of the Tasman, he believed.

"The threat is the same in Australia and New Zealand. Many drivers work 
long hours for low wages, and there is scant regard for health and safety," 
he said.

Mr Allan, who is in New Zealand to work with New Zealand's Council of Trade 
Unions on joint safety and pay initiatives, said poor health and safety 
standards contributed to New Zealand's shortage of 1250 truck drivers.

"If you improve safety issues, you make the industry more attractive to 
work in," he said.

Tulloch Transport general manager Nevill Henderson, while agreeing there 
was a shortage of drivers, rejected suggestions some drivers were on drugs 
to meet deadlines and said safety standards were not being compromised.

"I would absolutely, totally disagree with that. Any of our staff that 
either overload a vehicle, deliberately cheat on the log book, or speed, 
would face disciplinary action.

"I cannot give one example in this industry in 11 years of a guy telling me 
that he has been encouraged to take drugs," he said.

Tulloch Transport operates 40 trucks out of Dunedin, staffed by 35-40 
drivers, and has a total fleet of 170 trucks with drivers covering all 
areas south of Christchurch. While it was increasingly difficult to find 
drivers, health and safety standards were not to blame for the shortage, Mr 
Henderson believed.

He cited declining rural population, and greater demand for 24-hour 
transport services as reasons for driver shortages.

"It's just more and more difficult to get people to be truck drivers in 
exactly the same way as all vocational trades are short," he said.

Recent legislative changes had put the onus on the industry to provide 
safety equipment such as high-visibility jackets, hard hats, boots and 
breathing apparatus where appropriate to meet the needs of drivers, Mr 
Henderson said.
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