January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Highway Transport has been proud to be a Gold Level Sponsor of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) for many years. With more than 500 tank truck drivers on the road, Highway has over a thousand pairs of watchful eyes committed to helping prevent the worst possible kind of traffic—human.
What is Human Trafficking?
According to the TAT website, human trafficking is another way to say modern-day slavery. TAT estimates there are over 50 million slaves around the world today. Human trafficking is rampant in the U.S., with hundreds of thousands of victims across all 50 states. Many kidnappings and abductions are related to human trafficking. It’s hard to pinpoint a number, as many victims of human trafficking disappear, never to be seen again. Only when they are recovered is it possible to know they were a victim of human trafficking.
Per the U.S. Department of State, “In the United States, traffickers compel victims to engage in commercial sex and to work in both legal and illicit industries and sectors, including in hospitality, traveling sales crews, agriculture, janitorial services, construction, landscaping, restaurants, factories, care for persons with disabilities, salon services, massage parlors, retail services, fairs and carnivals, peddling and begging, drug smuggling and distribution, religious institutions, child care, and domestic work.”
TAT reports that “traffickers recruit out of our schools, online, in shopping malls, as well as the streets and other locations. A large percentage of the people trafficked are women and children. . . . They need to be identified and recovered.”
Highway Transport is striving to do just that, every day, along with preventing more abductions. TAT awareness decals are applied to every Highway truck, and our mobile army of professional drivers are trained to spot the signs of human trafficking.
Highway Transport’s Everyday Heroes
This important effort aligns with our company culture that prioritizes family and safety. Highway Transport Vice Chairman Greg Watkins says, “My family—the Watkins Family—has a solid legacy in the trucking world. Our chemical tanker drivers have many specialized skills. They are everyday heroes with the deepest commitment to protecting others. I’m proud to add TAT awareness to their skill set.”
Highway’s 500+ drivers are among more than 1.5 million registered, TAT-trained superheroes with their eyes on the road in more ways than one. We encourage all other fleets to join us in this effort and complete TAT training. Watch this TED Talk to learn three easy ways any company can join the fight against human trafficking.
Why Truck Drivers?
Truck drivers use the same rest areas and truck stops, and drive on the same roads, as human traffickers. This makes them ideal warriors against this crime. From the TAT website: “Truckers Against Trafficking recognizes that members of the trucking, bus, and energy industries are invaluable in the fight against this heinous crime. As the eyes and ears of our nation’s highways, you are in a unique position to make a difference and close loopholes to traffickers who seek to exploit our transportation system for their personal gain.”
The TAT mission is to “educate, equip, empower, and mobilize members of the trucking, bus, and energy industries to combat human trafficking.” But everyone can help! Visit https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org/ to learn more or donate. See how everyone, no matter what your profession, can get involved.
Join Us!
Are you a family-minded driver interested in working for a company that is fighting the battle against human trafficking? Go to Drive4Highway.com to discover openings for experienced professional truck drivers.