Key Partnerships
National trucking organizations like the American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the Truckload Carriers Association have entered into partnership with TAT, along with all 50 state trucking associations, and large companies such as Ryder, Werner, J.B. Hunt, TA/Petro, UPS, Bridgestone and more.
Awards
TAT has been awarded the:
-Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons in 2019
-Norma Hotaling Award for Demand Reduction
-Mike Russell Trucking Image Award from the American Trucking Associations
(see more here)
Building Coalitions
TAT is building coalitions between general managers of truck stops/travel plazas and the law enforcement that investigate trafficking cases on their lots, in order to close loopholes to traffickers who exploit industry businesses for criminal gain and to mobilize a local response. To date, TAT has held 80 coalition builds in 42 states and three provinces.
Iowa MVE Implementation
TAT works with the Iowa MVE/DOT, who created a statewide model in order to utilize/mobilize weigh stations, rest stops, and state patrol in helping to get the word out, train law enforcement and gain entry points into the trucking industry. Forty-nine states, and DC, and seven provinces have now adopted the model in part or in whole. In addition, 13 states have all adopted TAT training for their CDL holders.
Busing on the Lookout Growth
Busing on the Lookout (BOTL) partners with private companies, state agencies, school districts, public transit providers and associations to get its training resources out to bus industry personnel in the US and Canada. To date, over 140 private bus companies, 2,100 school districts and 260 public transit agencies have been BOTL-training.
Freedom Drivers Project Mobilization
The Freedom Drivers Project (FDP), showcases information/training on domestic sex trafficking, the artifacts and stories of survivors and the actions of the trucking industry to fight this crime. The FDP is in high demand across the nation by legislators, anti-trafficking groups and trucking leaders, with over 67,248 people walking through its doors at over 298 events in 47 states and three provinces.
Canada Expansion
Replicating our model across borders, TAT Canada has already ensured dozens of Canadian carriers are TAT-training. To date, 22,432 Canadian industry professionals are TAT Trained.
Energy Boom
Designed to train every segment of the energy industry to recognize and report human trafficking, Empower Freedom is partnering with energy companies throughout the US and Canada including EOG Resources, TC Energy, ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil, Phillips 66, Enbridge, Precision Pipeline, SM Energy and US Silica.
For detailed impact information check out our annual reports.
Success Stories...
TAT is continually inspired by industry members who are actively discovering and disrupting human trafficking networks. From our prestigious Harriet Tubman Award winners, to the additional success stories below, their actions are leading to victim recovery and the arrest of perpetrators across the nation.
Testimonials...
In conjunction with its TAT partnership, Sapp Brothers Travel Centers initiated Help Now, a program designed to identify victims of human trafficking and provide them with immediate help. Working with TAT and law enforcement, Sapp Brothers designed its program to include: Buttons in restrooms with verbiage that says, "If you are in Danger, need help now or this area needs attention, press this button." Posters near the buttons with the text and phone numbers for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, as well as the location phone number for the travel center itself. Training for employees on using a victim-centered approach when interacting with victims, as well as contacting law enforcement for help. Sapp Brothers also participates in quarterly meetings of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking in Omaha and holds educational/awareness sessions at its locations in Omaha/Council Bluffs for customers, employees and surrounding businesses, complete with law enforcement providing TAT training and a special lunch menu for those participating in the training.
Chief David Lorenzen
Office of Motor Vehicle Enforcement, Iowa DOT
“The TAT material is well done. It doesn’t take a lot of time to train staff, and the information is well put together. We fully embrace the efforts of TAT and will continue to work with them to get the information out to all professional drivers. Working together we can make a difference and curb this criminal activity.”
Congressman Ted Poe
(addressing the House Floor on 2/15/13)
Mr. Speaker, Mike, a truck driver, pulled over at a rest stop. He noticed a young girl approaching multiple trucks. The girl, who was clearly under age, came up to his cab and offered him sex for money. She seemed scared, and he asked her a few questions. She told him that, if she did not bring in enough money for her trafficker, the beatings by him would get worse. Thank goodness she had the courage to call for help. Mike understood the signs of human trafficking through an organization called Truckers Against Trafficking. He called the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, and authorities immediately arrived. The trafficker was arrested, put in jail, and the girl was rescued. I commend Truckers Against Trafficking. It is critical for our citizens to be educated about sex trafficking so we can end this scourge. America cannot continue to be blissfully silent while modern-day slavery is occurring in our communities. And that’s just the way it is.
Beth Jacobs
Survivor and Founder of Willow Way in Tucson, AZ
“Many years ago, I was brought to a truck stop to be raped, beaten, and thrown into the life of prostitution. I didn’t want, volunteer, or dream of being sexually exploited. There were no agencies or organizations to help me. TAT is doing a wonderful job of promoting awareness of this atrocity surrounding the trucking industry. Knowledge is power and is being passed on. Truckers are now in a position to help victims, and make a difference in our plight to END Human Trafficking in our world. Thank you, TAT!”
Nicole Moler
Former Director, National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH)
“Truckers are now one of the most motivated and well-organized industry groups working on this issue and their reports have led to countless arrests and recoveries of victims across the country. TAT has been instrumental in creating a community of activists who are speaking out against human trafficking and directly impacting the lives of victims. TAT is a leader in the fight against human trafficking and we regularly cite their work as an example for other industries to follow. I have no doubt that their work has and will continue to transform our ability to fight human trafficking and we are proud to partner with them in their efforts to eliminate human trafficking and modern-day slavery.”
Dr. Kirsten Foot, Ph.D.
Author of Collaborating Against Human Trafficking: Cross-Sector Challenges and Practices (Rowman, 2016), and the Dart Endowed Professor in Trauma, Journalism, and Communication, University of Washington, USA
“Since its origins in 2009, the nonprofit, nongovernmental organization Truckers Against Trafficking has catalyzed multisector efforts to counter sex trafficking by inviting private sector transportation companies and public sector transportation agencies to join them. Through partnerships with law enforcement and providers of victim services, TAT has created resource materials and trainings for individual drivers– and their employers– to learn how to take constructive action against sex trafficking as they encounter indicators of it in the course of their work. Moreover, TAT has been and continues to be a convenor for innovative strategy development for public and private ground transportation entities on how to identify potential situations of sex trafficking, respond effectively by notifying the appropriate law enforcement agencies, and how to support survivors via transportation services. Simply put, TAT is the sparkplug for multisector anti-sex trafficking efforts involving ground transportation."
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