MAY 11, 2021 – ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), the voice of the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, announced today that it has signed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT) pledge. In becoming a TLAHT signatory, TIA joins with our partners across the transportation industry to stop the flow of human trafficking.
“Human trafficking is an issue that transcends borders, race, gender, and politics; it is a global scourge that is often overlooked but demands attention and action,” said TIA President & CEO Anne Reinke. “As the voice of the 3PL industry and a leader in the larger transportation ecosystem, it is incumbent upon us as an organization to provide our members with the education, tools, and resources needed to identify and prevent the further spread of this heinous crime. We are honored to stand with the DOT and the transportation industry in support of this momentous initiative.”
TIA made the announcement of its signing the TLAHT pledge during the Day 1 Opening Session of the TIA 2021 Capital Ideas Conference in front of an audience of more than 300 virtual attendees from across the 3PL and freight brokerage industry. TIA President & CEO Anne Reinke was joined by Outgoing TIA Board Chair Brian Evans, CTB, in making the announcement to attendees.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation is proud to work, through its Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Initiative, with the private and public sector across all modes of transportation on critical counter-trafficking efforts, including training front line workers to recognize and report possible instances of human trafficking,” said Julie Abraham, Director of the Office of International Transportation and Trade, whose office leads the Department’s human trafficking initiative.
With as many as 24.9 million men, women, and children sold into prostitution, domestic servitude, or other forced labor globally, human trafficking is one of the greatest atrocities of our time. While it may seem like a problem beyond our borders, human trafficking takes place every day in communities across America – rural, suburban, red, and blue.
“Through the strength of our unified 1,600 member companies, TIA is ready to meet the challenge and lend our network resources to eliminate human trafficking,” stated Brian Evans, CTB, Chairman of the TIA Board of Directors. “As we stand united in our efforts, we are honored to join the Department of Transportation, along with all other organizations, that are working tirelessly to combat this issue in the United States.”
Human traffickers are using America’s roadways, railways, waterways, and skies to traffic their victims. We cannot allow our transportation system to be an enabler in such awful acts. As part of TIA’s efforts in support of the TLAHT initiative, the Association will implement a five-prong approach in support of our pledge focused on leadership engagement, industry education and training, policy development, public awareness, and information sharing and analysis. To learn more about the TLAHT initiative, please visitwww.transportation.gov/TLAHT.
|