For over a decade, the Alabama Trucking Association and its members have fully supported the non-profit group TAT (formerly Truckers Against Trafficking). Our efforts to eradicate human trafficking underscore the commitment to safety and ending this heinous criminal activity. 

Through the years, thousands of Alabama-based truck drivers and industry personnel have trained with TAT to better recognize and report suspicious activity at places where these trucking heroes work. During the recent Alabama Trucking Convention, Elizabeth Sweetman, a corporate engagement manager at TAT, came through to give an overview of her organization, define human trafficking, and help attendees better understand its intersections with the transportation industry and how they can become more involved in the fight.

“TAT is committed to educate, equip, empower and mobilize key industries and agencies to combat human trafficking,” Sweetman said, opening her presentation. “I work with key industries to build awareness and highlight engagement pathways in the fight against human trafficking. That’s why I am here today.”

Sweetman praised Alabama Trucking leaders for their financial support of TAT as a Silver Level annual sponsor and thanked the dozens of Alabama-based fleets that have fully bought into the program. 

The Colorado-based TAT has evolved into an international anti-human trafficking organization. At its core, the group is about targeted systems change by going after hearts and minds to raise a mobile army of transportation professionals to assist law enforcement in the recognition and reporting of human trafficking, to aid in the recovery of victims, and the arrest of their perpetrators. Its training, which is provided at no cost, is an easy lift for companies to implement and provides actionable strategies that ultimately lead to the discovery and disruption of human trafficking networks.

TAT works across all transportation modes, across borders, and is truly activating multiple industries to raise changemakers across North America’s transportation sector. 

“And, here’s the great news,” Sweetman said. “TAT’s efforts are working! (We have) trained over 2 million industry professionals – truck drivers, bus drivers, truck stop and bus station employees who have demonstrated time and again that – when trained with TAT materials – they are willing to make the call and be a disruptive force in helping to ensure that victims are recovered and traffickers cannot act with impunity.” 

She said thanks to many Alabama organizations, truck drivers have made thousands of calls to the National Hotline and local law enforcement, and those tips have helped to identify countless victims. 

“This is the power of this work in action,” she said, “but we need your help to continue to spread this message.”

Get Involved

Sweetman said getting your company involved with TAT is easy. First, train all of your employees with TAT materials. Implementation of the free training is easy, and TAT officials are eager to work with your company. 

Second, consider adopting an anti-trafficking in persons policy with a demand reduction focus and talk with us about the other opportunities we have for you to engage your company in this work. 

Last but not least, use your influence to spread the word. Talk to any other industry stakeholders you know need to hear this message. Put them in contact with TAT and tell them what you’re doing. 

“And don’t forget to take this message back to your dinner tables, schools and communities,” Sweetman said. “Our children need to know the risks of trafficking — and they need to hear it from people they trust.”

For more information on how you can take action, please visit https://tatnonprofit.org/ or call 612-888-4828.