CTA calls for mandatory drug testing
TORONTO, Ont. – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is calling on the federal government to introduce mandatory drug and alcohol testing for truck drivers.
It claims a scathing Ontario auditor general report on commercial vehicle enforcement supports its case.
“CTA applauds the Ontario auditor general report for highlighting the safety benefit of requiring drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck drivers,” says Scott Smith, chairman of the CTA. “We appreciate and support the work to date on this matter by Transport Canada and hope to see the Government of Canada support this important road safety policy in 2020.”
In her annual report, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk contended the lack of drug and alcohol testing is a potential issue related to road safety and truck collisions.
“In Ontario, commercial vehicle drivers are not subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing either before or during their employment. In addition, Ontario drivers who hold a prescription for medical marijuana may operate a commercial vehicle with marijuana present in their system as long as they are not legally impaired, unlike those who use it recreationally,” she wrote.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
If the truck drivers have to be tested how about the office staff and the upper management.
Why is it always the truck drivers and not the people making decisions.
I believe if this should be mandatory for any Field that supplies the benefit of vehicle usage and tax write offs
This should not be just the Trucking Industry
it should be all and not limited to.
The list is endless….. repair trucks, hydro , bell, rogers, Ministry Ontario, Federal government ,auditors Towing, Management . etc
City workers Construction anything classed as a company vehicle or claimed as one on expenses
The government made the deal with the Pot smoking cigarettes alcohol Etc for the love of Money and taxes and cost of Lives and Liability.
If all would be on the same playing field would it or may it lessen the issues on the road.
Then you have the Full General public another Story.
There are a lot of people driving out there that do not have the respect for the roads and in this day and age its liability.
A lot don’t think the same rules applies to them either……………
Its called Respect
Enjoy your Privileges of this great Country.
Lori
Good point that office staff should be tested and I’d say test everyone at the CTA as well randomly. We can’t have drug addicts at the CTA pushing safety, we need integrity and accountibility from the top down.
I work hard putting in long hours operating tank truck safely in the oilfield. I don’t drink alcohol but ull never take the dope smoking I do with my wife at home away from me..
RCMP, most police forces, pilots, high lvl nurses, surgeons, doctors are not randomly drug tested so why should we have to when truck driving is the easiest out of all of those?
Cannabis and driving study casts doubt on zero-tolerance limits for THC:
https://globalnews.ca/news/6245267/cannabis-and-driving-study-thc/
How about the CTA calling for a more accurate test?
I’m all for fit for duty but to say I can’t drive because I puffed a month ago is ridiculous…and AMERICAN!
Haven’t read a single report of driver was High resulting in cause of accident, not once so OTA your Mr big bad Corp and want to help the mto fight the insanity that goes down nightly, Grow a pair and call the spade a spade , if ya can’t read the signs and warrings how can you claim its not a major concern having truck traveling blind amongst the general public , drug test y’all need to test yourself cause this will fix fuck all