TAT Header with Trademark
Human Trafficking in the News
Truck drivers trained to spot, report sex trafficking to save young victims
The first time Kathleen Eberle watched the training video from Truckers Against Trafficking, she knew she had to do something to help stop human trafficking.
Eberle, the president of NPO Transportation in Southfield, was shaken by what she saw on the video while at a convention.

Interesting findings and alternative interpretations 
from 'Mapping the Demand: Sex Buyers in Minnesota'
Minnesota has been a revered leader in addressing sex trafficking and forced prostitution for many years. The  Women's Foundation of Minnesota  has been a galvanizing force in the state's leadership on victim services, legislative advocacy, research, and more. The latest study funded by the foundation,  Mapping the Demand: Sex Buyers in Minnesota , is a critically important tool in the state's response to sex trafficking. That's because the research focuses exclusively on the source of the problem: the sex buyers whose "demand" fuels the illicit industry. 

NH woman sentenced for human trafficking in Massachusetts
A woman from Salem, New Hampshire, has been sentenced to seven to nine years in prison in Massachusetts for human trafficking and prostitution.
Rasmussen, Blake join TAT Board of Directors

Karen Rasmussen
The Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) Board of Directors voted to accept Karen Rasmussen and Don Blake as new members at their August meeting, held at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas.
 
Rasmussen is the president and chief executive officer of HELP Inc., the provider of PrePass and other commercial vehicle safety services. PrePass allows trucks from fleets with good safety records to bypass truck scales and inspection facilities in 33 states, saving them time and fuel, and reducing operating costs. PrePass also helps enforcement agencies more efficiently focus their safety efforts. 
 
From 2001 through late 2012, Rasmussen served as the president and CEO of the  Arizona Trucking Association  (AzTA) and as executive director of the Arizona Transportation Education Foundation (ATEF), a 501(c)(3) incorporated through her efforts and funded through safety grants and industry donations. Under her leadership, AzTA received the Summa Cum Laude award in 2009 for best safety program, and ATEF conceived and produced the well-known "Teens & Trucks" novice driver training video and curriculum through a grant from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Association. Teens & Trucks is still widely used throughout the United States and Canada to teach teens how to drive safely around large trucks.

Prior to 2001, Rasmussen served as director of Government Relations for Ryder System, Inc., the Fortune 500 truck leasing and logistics company. Before joining Ryder, she spent 13 years with the California Trucking Association (CTA) heading CTA's work in areas ranging from safety, environment, commun-ications, and government relations, and serving as vice president from 
1994-1997. 
 
Rasmussen's experience also includes tenure at the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Governor's Office of Highway Safety and the Montana state legislature.  She currently serves on Arizona's Freight Plan Advisory Committee, on American Trucking Associations' Safety Policy and Communications & Image committees and as a member of the ATRI Research Advisory Committee (RAC). Rasmussen has also been named co-chair of a new task force coordinating the 2017 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
 
Th roughout her career, Rasmussen has received numerous awards, recognitions and honors. Most recent achievements include winning the Mike Russell Trucking Industry Image Award from American Trucking Associations in late 2016. In May 2016, she was named by Fleet Owner Magazine as one of the Dozen Outstanding Women in Trucking.
 
"Since I first became aware of TAT through Chief Dave Lorenzen (HELP's immediate past chair), I've developed an avid interest in and support for TAT's efforts to spread the word about human trafficking and train truck drivers what to look for and how to report it," Rasmussen explained. "Trafficking is finally getting the attention it deserves, and TAT is on the forefront of doing something about it. I'm proud to be part of this forward-thinking and dedicated organization."
 
Don Blake
Don Blake is the new truck sales manager at Inland Kenworth's flagship store in Tolleson, Arizona and has served in the trucking indus try for over 21 years. He is an active member of the Arizona Rock Product Association and the Arizona Trucking Association and was elected to the American Trucking Associations' board in 2010, serving four years as chairman of their Leadership Conference.
 
Blake holds a bachelor of science in Industrial Business from Humboldt State University and is graduate of NADA Dealer Academy Program. He holds two patents and loves to invent and tinker.
 
After listening to a TAT presentation in 2016, Blake decided to do something that had never been done before: build a special themed tru ck and auction it off as a fundraiser for TAT. With the support of Inland Kenworth, including $12,000 toward the project, and Kenworth Truck Co., Blake began talking to corporate sponsors, and through his leadership, raised $89,000 in direct sponsorships and $35,000 in in-kind sponsorships to build the Everyday Heroes truck, a customized 2018 Kenworth T680. The truck was auctioned off in June of this year, netting a donation for TAT of $89,000, the largest one-time gift in the organization's history.
 
"The 'Everyday Heroes' truck is making a lasting impact," Blake said, "much more so than we could have ever imagined. It's gratifying to pull so many people together for a cause and to fight something so awful as human trafficking. Many people have worked to make this possible and it's just unreal."
 
When Inland Kenworth was named the 2017 Successful Dealer of the Year during the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas in August, Blake and the Everyday Heroes truck were singled out as having played a major role in the final decision-making by those selecting the award winner.
 
"The folks at TAT are awesome," Blake enthused. "They make you feel good just being around them. It's an honor to be part of this 'force of good.' I look forward to driving Kendis crazy with wild ideas."
With Hawaii, all 50 state trucking associations now aware of human trafficking through TAT

When Helen Van Dam, Freedom Drivers Project director for Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), spoke at the Hawaii Transportation Association annual conference in September, TAT reached a milestone of having presented to all 50 state trucking associations on human trafficking and the role trucking can play in the fight against it.

While statistics show that human trafficking takes place in all 50 states, the National Human Trafficking Hotline shows that since the hotline began in 2007, there have been 469 calls from Hawaii to report suspected human trafficking. These calls have resulted in 166 cases, impacting 475 victims.

 

"We thank the Hawaii Transportation Association for inviting us to speak at their annual conference this year in beautiful Waikiki," said Van Dam. "We truly value our partnerships with the state trucking associations. They are the trucking leaders in every state, and we couldn't do our work without them. Unique to this presentation in Hawaii was the opportunity we had to train the busing industry at the conference, right alongside trucking. We look forward to working with many transportation companies in Hawaii to combat trafficking in the crossroads of the Pacific."

 

Sixty-five people listened to Van Dam's presentation, including representatives from two tour bus companies.
TAT engages business leaders in the fight to end human trafficking through United Way

Laura Cyrus, TAT operations director (center) took part in a panel discussion at the United Way conference. With her on stage are (left) Anesa Parker, manager for Monitor Deloitte, and (right) Laura Johns, director of corporate relations at UPS Foundation.
Laura Cyrus, operations director for Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) took part in a panel discussion at the Business Leaders Forum to Combat Human Trafficking, hosted by United Way Worldwide in Alexandria, Virginia in early September. As a part of the Employee Training and Engagement session, she, along with fellow panel members, discussed ways in which each organization was working to foster employee engagement and activation on the issue of human trafficking. The forum was well attended by other anti-trafficking NGOs, supply chain consultants and experts and a variety of business leaders. Shamere McKenzie, a survivor-leader and the CEO of the Sun Gate Foundation, also spoke, offering a message of hope that was unifying and inspiring to all.
 
"It was an excellent two-day meeting that brought together stakeholders from multiple disciplines to engage in meaningful dialogue and brainstorming about ways we can all continue to work together to combat this heinous crime," commented Cyrus.


Prize sponsors join TAT in a salute to truckers

Thanks to the generous donations from sponsors, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) was able to give away almost $835 in gift cards and merchandise through Facebook and Twitter to truckers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 10-16.
 
Blue Tiger , Stay Loaded , Hammerlane , AME International and TA Petro all donated items, including headsets, mini speakers, a nut buddy lug loosening tool, gift cards and t-shirts, in addition to the hats TAT donated, as prizes in the trucker appreciation contests TAT held.
 
Winners, who all needed to be CDL holders, included drivers Trish Snyder, James Morton, Renee Bragg, Cris Cannon, Justin Koch, Douglas Connolly, David Patterson, Luke Whitecotton, Samuel Michael Robinson, Martin Ortiz, Taylor Barker and Kevin Kitts.
 
"Without truckers, our entire economy and society would come to an immediate halt," said Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director. "They are irreplaceable; their work is long, hard and never ending. They provide a service to this country and to each of us that we simply must acknowledge and celebrate. And, on top of that, they are joining in the fight against human trafficking in an amazing show of force that is producing results. We are proud to salute them!"
Upcoming Events

Oct. 1 - Justice Run, Denver, CO, Molly Griffiths, TAT administrative specialist, attending

Oct. 2-4 - American Gaming Association, Las Vegas, NV, Tajuan McCarty, TAT field trainer, presenting

Oct. 4 - Dow Chemical Safety Directors and Core Carriers Conference, Midland, MI, Laura Cyrus, TAT operations director, presenting

Oct. 4 - Enbridge Inc. Houston, TX, FDP and Helen Van Dam, FDP director, presenting

Oct. 9 - Meeting with CEO and Global Management of UPS, Washington, DC, Kendis Paris, TAT executive director, presenting

Oct. 15-21 - Volvo Tour, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, FDP and Helen Van Dam, TAT FDP director, presenting

Oct. 20 - National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools Region 4 Conference, Broken Arrow, OK, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, presenting

Oct. 25 - South Carolina Office of Victim Assistance, Greenville, SC, Beth Jacobs, TAT field trainer, presenting
Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
Some readers see this part of your email after the subject line in the inbox.
Write something brief and catchy, compelling them to open the email.

Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
Truckers Against Trafficking 
PO Box 816 | Englewood, CO 80151

STAY CONNECTED: