Truckers: What’s your take on marijuana legalization?

Washington — The American Transportation Research Institute is asking truck drivers to take a survey on the impact of marijuana legalization on driving and industry operations.

Open until April 28, the confidential survey includes the following questions:

• Do you think roadway safety has been impacted by legal recreational marijuana?
• At what point do you believe someone can safely operate a vehicle after using marijuana?
• Should the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration require a marijuana impairment test instead of the current marijuana use test?
• Is it common for drivers with a commercial driver’s license to leave the industry for jobs where they are not tested for marijuana?

ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, says it will use the results “to better understand the impacts of state laws legalizing marijuana on the trucking industry and its workforce.”

In a press release, ATRI President Rebecca Brewer said that “driver input is a critical component of ATRI’s research, and this newest survey is no exception. We hope that professional drivers will take a few minutes to provide their perspectives on this critical topic.”

Last year, ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee identified marijuana impact as a critical topic “because of the conflict and uncertainty between new state laws legalizing marijuana and long-standing federal law, especially for those that are part of a federally regulated workforce.”