INDIANAPOLIS, (WOWO) — The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division has partnered with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) for a week-long initiative aimed at raising awareness about human trafficking. The campaign runs January 12 through 16 and is part of CVSA’s broader Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative taking place across North America.
During the initiative, state police officers will engage commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers during roadside inspections, providing educational materials and information from Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), now known as TAT. Officers will also discuss ways drivers can recognize signs of trafficking and report suspected cases.
“Commercial motor vehicle drivers are often the eyes and ears of America,” said Captain Ron Galaviz, Chief Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police. “They see areas where trafficking may occur, such as truck stops, rest areas, and commercial locations that could be using labor trafficking victims.”
According to the United Nations, human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of exploitation. Studies cited by CVSA note that over 40% of trafficking cases reported by truck drivers involve minors.
The initiative is part of CVSA’s Human Trafficking Prevention Program, which aims to reduce human trafficking throughout North America through coordinated enforcement, investigative efforts, and educational outreach within the commercial motor vehicle industry. The program has already trained nearly 2.5 million professionals in the trucking industry through TAT.
CVSA’s Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative is conducted in phases across the continent: in the United States January 12-16, in Canada February 23-27, and in Mexico March 16-20.
Indiana State Police emphasized that the goal is to equip drivers with the knowledge to identify potential trafficking situations and to safely report them. Materials and training resources include guides on awareness, recognition, and prevention, as well as survivor stories to highlight the human impact of trafficking.
