Over the past few months we’ve had good reason be thankful for our essential workers, including the men and women who drive the trucks that have sustained us through the pandemic. There are any number of other reasons to be grateful for the frontline service of our drivers, but one that’s especially close to our hearts is their contribution to the fight against human trafficking.

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and XPO is eager to do our part in partnership with Truckers against Trafficking to help combat this cruel form of modern-day slavery. Last year we instituted TAT training for all of our LTL drivers, and we continue to make training materials available to every LTL employee. In fact, anti-trafficking training is slated to be included among XPO’s environmental, social and corporate governance goals.

Truck drivers have made thousands of calls into the National Human Trafficking Hotline and to local law enforcement, resulting in the recovery of hundreds of victims. It’s our hope that our partnership with TAT will raise awareness of this horrific issue, and that it will help to eradicate these vicious trafficking rings.

There’s much work to be done. It's estimated that 40 million people worldwide are suffering under the yoke of human trafficking, and that 99% of the victims are women and young girls. The LGBTQ+ community is also disproportionately exploited by the perpetrators of this pernicious activity. Others who are especially vulnerable include people with disabilities, victims of trauma or abuse, children in foster and welfare care, and immigrants.

The threat confronting these groups is incessant. No one should mistake the shutdowns that have been mandated in response to the pandemic as having created a lull in the exploitation. Like so many other aspects of daily life, the victimization has simply shifted online.

XPO has made a $25,000 donation to TAT, and we’re gearing up to train thousands of our new employees to become TAT ambassadors. We’re passionate about this cause, and we’re fully committed to doing everything we can to support it. We encourage everyone who can to join the fight.