The power for security guards at pubs and clubs should be reviewed to allow them to intervene in fights off their premises, the peak body for licensed premises has said.

A parliamentary inquiry into the use of the drug ice is looking at ways of reducing violence at entertainment venues.

Australian Hotel Association (AHA) NT chief executive Des Crowe said bouncers were unable to intervene in fights on the street, and their powers should be reviewed.

"Crowd controllers are at the moment very much kept in their own licensed premises," he said.

"The street thoroughfare becomes a big grey area."

He said the AHA wanted to review where bouncers could legally break up fights.

"We've had some assault matters that have been thrown out because they were not exercising their powers as a crowd controller," he said.

Mr Crowe also said there had been a rise in the intensity of fights around venues in Darwin, and at different times of day rather than just late at night.

He said he was not sure if this was connected to ice use.

Earlier, the peak road transport body in the NT said the use of ice was not widespread in the Northern Territory's road transport industry.

NT Road Transport Association executive officer Louise Bilato told the inquiry the small nature of the Territory's road transport industry meant it was unlikely drivers would be using ice.

"The nature of the business in the Northern Territory makes it far less likely that people who have serious ice addictions will be able to retain work in our industry," she said.

"People essentially self-select and are selected out as soon as someone is volatile or moody or difficult."

Ms Bilato said she had two road transport operators who told her they had employed ice users.

"They quickly did something about that because both of those companies were in accredited heavy vehicle schemes which required them to implement their drug and alcohol policies," she said.