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“Everybody in that room commit-
Truck Safety trafficking. He hadn’t been taught what ted in whatever way they could,” she
signs to look for, and he didn’t know
about the national hotline he could
said. Trucking companies promised to
Program have called to make an anonymous train all their employees, and an insur-
ance company representative asked for
report. He might not have even thought
training materials to pass out to the
to use the phrase “human trafficking”
Funding to describe what he was seeing. But company’s carrier clients.
he did exactly what Truckers Against
Truckers Against Trafficking has
Trafficking’s founders hope to empower
three goals, Lanier said. First, they want
all truck drivers and truck stop employ- to reach the trucking industry through
ees to do: He kept his eyes open, and he every avenue possible. They work with
APPLICATIONS NOW told someone what he saw. trucking schools, national and state
BEING ACCEPTED. “That’s the power of the trucking trucking associations, carriers, even
industry recognizing [trafficking] and shippers who contract with carriers and
The Arkansas Commercial doing something about it,” said Kylla are in a position to influence them to
Truck Safety and Education Lanier, the organization’s co-founder include TAT training for their drivers.
Program has begun its next and deputy executive director. Second, they work with law
application cycle.
Human trafficking is a worldwide enforcement to get them into the same
problem that reaches into just about room with key trucking industry stake-
every industry, Lanier said. Lanier is a holders for training sessions.
former teacher and missionary, but she And third, they want to marshal
and her mother and sisters were moved the resources of the trucking industry
to found Truckers Against Trafficking to help in the fight against human traf-
after reading a book about the issue ficking. A number of major national
and realizing what a powerful force companies have already signed on as
truck drivers and truck stop employees corporate sponsors, Lanier said.
could be in the effort to free victims of “The trucking industry is in a
APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT:
ArkansasHighways.com/ACTSEP.aspx modern-day slavery. unique position to help fight human
Since the organization was founded trafficking,” said Shannon Newton,
— or —
Arkansas Commercial Truck Safety in 2009, it has partnered with almost president of the Arkansas Trucking
and Education Program every state trucking association in the Association.
c/o Arkansas State Highway and United States, as well as national truck- “It takes advantage of truck driv-
Transportation Department ing associations, major corporations, ers’ expertise, where they spend their
Program Management Division law enforcement agencies, trucking time, where they do their work, in order
P. O. Box 2261
Little Rock, AR 72203-2261 schools and other groups. It provides to leverage that and be good citizens,”
DVDs, informational wallet cards, Newton said. “We want our drivers
— or —
Arkansas State Highway and posters and other materials at no cost, to be equipped with information and
Transportation Department and to date has registered more than know what to look for and whom to
Central Headquarters 166,000 trucking industry employees as call. They might see something but
10324 Interstate 30, Room 503 “TAT trained.” don’t want to be perceived as a tattle-
Little Rock, AR 72209
Kimmel is now one of them. tale. So having this centralized hotline
Telephone: (501) 569-2261 “It was an eye-opening experience specifically targeted toward human traf-
Fax: (501) 569-2623 for me,” Kimmel said. “Since then I’ve ficking gives drivers the opportunity to
Email: LFPA@ahtd.ar.gov
followed Truckers Against Trafficking say ‘This is what I saw.’ It gives them a
APPLICATION DEADLINE: and have helped however I can.” safe place to call and try to be proactive
APRIL 1, 2016, 4 P.M. and helpful.”
Joining the cause The hotline — 888-373-7888 — is
The Arkansas Trucking Association run by the National Human Trafficking
is one of the latest state trucking associ- Resource Center. It is staffed around the
ations to formally partner with Truckers clock, and drivers don’t have to share
Against Trafficking. Lanier spoke to the their personal information or speak
ATA Safety Management Council in directly to law enforcement if they don’t
December, and attendees “wiped out” a want to.
box of training materials, Lanier said. The TAT training is simple, but it’s

36 arkansas trucking rePort | issue 1 2016