Truck drivers play critical role in combating human trafficking

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to shine a light on a horrific crime that often goes unseen but occurs every day along America’s roadways.

Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry — and highways, truck stops, rest areas and travel centers are frequently used by traffickers to transport and exploit victims. Because of this, professional truck drivers are uniquely positioned to help identify and report suspicious activity that could save lives.

Professional truck drivers can be the eyes and ears of the road. Their constant presence at loading docks, fuel stops, parking areas and roadside facilities places them in environments where trafficking indicators may appear.

Unlike the general public, drivers notice patterns. They recognize behavior that seems out of place, vehicles that linger too long or individuals who appear controlled, fearful or unable to speak freely.

Recognize the signs

For years, the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has fostered a strategic relationship with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), which empowers the transportation industry to combat human trafficking.

Established in 2009, TAT started with a simple yet powerful, belief — that every truck driver can be a crucial ally in the fight against human trafficking.

Since then, TAT has grown to encompass a greater portion of the transportation industry, forming deep alliances to maximize collective effort through programs that include innovative training, partnerships with law enforcement and advocacy efforts. Using targeted systems change as TAT’s model, this critical association has raised awareness about trafficking, who it targets and its signs and equipped individuals to take action whenever their lives intersect with it and its victims.

TAT encourages drivers to look for patterns and behaviors, not to make assumptions or try to intervene. Their guidance focuses on observing, documenting and reporting. Key advice includes the following:

Watch for behavioral red flags.

TAT emphasizes that behavior is often the strongest indicator, such as:

A person who appears fearful, anxious, submissive or disoriented;
Someone who avoids eye contact, seems coached or lets another person speak for them;
Individuals who appear unable to leave on their own or are constantly monitored; or
Signs of someone being controlled through threats, intimidation, or dependency

Notice physical and situational indicators.

Drivers are encouraged to trust their instincts when something feels “off,” such as bruises, injuries, malnourishment or extreme fatigue; inappropriate clothing for the weather or situation; a person who lacks access to identification, money or a phone; and/or minors involved in commercial sex acts (this is trafficking 100% of the time).

Red flags can also include frequent movement between vehicles or rooms; transactions that seem secretive or rushed; or individuals being transported repeatedly by the same person.

Do NOT intervene

A core TAT message is to NEVER confront a suspected trafficker or victim. Intervention can put both the driver and the victim in danger. Instead:

Write down descriptions, license plates, locations and times;
Report what you see through proper channels and
Report safely and effectively.

TAT encourages reporting through the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888) or the TAT mobile app, which allows drivers to submit tips quickly and anonymously. Even partial information can be critical. Drivers are reminded that they are not responsible for proving trafficking, only for reporting suspicious activity.

TAT’s guidance boils down to three simple actions:

Learn the signs.

Trust your instincts.

Make the call.

This approach empowers professional truck drivers to be a vital line of defense against human trafficking — without putting themselves at risk.

This article originally appeared on the Women In Trucking blog on Jan. 19, 2026. Reprinted with permission.

Brian Everett is the group publisher and editorial director of Redefining the Road, the official magazine of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). He is heavily involved in strategic counsel for WIT and managing the association’s annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo.

Everett has a reputation as the “go-to guy” for marketing in the transportation and logistics industry. That’s because he has more than 30 years marketing, communications, and sales experience in transportation, warehousing, and logistics, with a special expertise in business strategy, B-to-B marketing, and association management. He also is senior partner of MindShare Strategies. Everett regularly provides marketing counsel to the firm’s key accounts. He is particularly well-connected to shippers as the former Executive Director of the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC) and is the group publisher and editorial director for Food Chain Digest and Food For Thought, the official magazine and member e-newsletter, respectively, of Food Shippers of America.

Everett also was Director of Marketing for C.H. Robinson for 10 years, and helped transform this low-profile company to one of the world’s most widely known brands in the third-party logistics market when it went public in 1998. He also was CEO of the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) for approximately 20 years, and has provided counsel in business strategy, marketing and sales for leading companies in MindShare Strategies’ client portfolio, including Saddle Creek Logistics Services, the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), LeSaint Logistics/TAGG Logistics, RWI Logistics/RWI Transportation (part of the Castellini Group of Companies), Satellite Logistics Group, UPS, Line Drive Trucking, and H&M International Transportation, to name a few.

Everett has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Business Communications at the international, regional, and local chapter levels; on the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Twin Cities Roundtable; and was the Chairman of the Transportation Track for a recent Warehousing Education Research Council (WERC) annual conference. In fact, in recognition of his career experiences and passion for industry involvement, Everett was named the youngest recipient of TMSA’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Credits