The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) will be hosting a general meeting for their members, industry guests and stakeholders from 10 am – 12 noon on Wednesday December 11th, 2019 at Lionhead Golf and Conference Centre.
The TTSAO is pleased to announce that part of the agenda will include an awareness presentation by Heather Fry, Canadian Director of Truckers Against Trafficking, and Jim Dimech of Praxair Canada Inc. who will provide a carrier’s perspective and speak about the importance of trucking companies getting involved.
Statistics show that one in three police-reported human trafficking incidents in Canada is a cross border offence, with much of this activity occurring on Ontario’s 400 series of highways.
Heather Fry is looking forward to her visit and presentation being hosted by the TTSAO and commented “The trucking industry plays a vital role in recognizing signs of human trafficking and reporting it. Because professional drivers are often in places where victims are being forced into prostitution, they can be a major asset in the recovery of victims and the arrest of pimps, by knowing what to look for, then simply taking a second look and making a phone call. For the last 10 years, Truckers Against Trafficking has been equipping the commercial vehicle industry to be an extra set of eyes and ears out on the road in the U.S. With our recent launch into Canada, I am excited to be able to present TAT’s message to TTSAO’s members to expand this impact into your country”
Educating drivers how to respond, report what they see can potentially save lives. Jim Dimech from Praxair Canada Inc. says, “Our Commercial Truck Drivers are the eyes and ears of our nation’s highways, they are in a unique position to make a difference and to help combat human trafficking. I genuinely believe that by training and providing our drivers with the TAT tools and resources we can contribute to reducing the incidence and continuance of human trafficking in Canada”
The TTSAO educates thousands of Entry Level Drivers annually. The association plans to encourage their membered schools to add the curriculum to their courses. The course can be delivered on line or in class or combination of both and takes approximately 2 hours to complete.
Kim Richardson, TTSAO President, says “We’re hoping the entire industry will embrace this program. Trucking companies could offer this program during orientation or at safety meetings, other associations and insurance companies could endorse the program as well. I also want to give credit where credit is due. Shelley Uvanile-Hesch, founder and CEO of the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada (WTFC), included a presentation regarding human trafficking at their annual conference this year and since then the momentum continues to grow”
Other agenda items for the morning include a presentation by the Provincial government regarding their recent announcement called Action Plan: Supporting Ontario’s Trucking Industry and more updates from the TTSAO.
Seating is limited for this meeting so if you would like to attend please email ttsao@ttsao.com or call (705) 280-5577.For more information, please contact:
Charlie Charalambous – Director of Communications and Public Relations, TTSAO – ccharalambous@isbglobalservices.com or (905) 699 – 8837
Kim Richardson – President, TTSAO – KRTS office – 1-800-771-8171 x 201 or cell – 905-512-0254 or by email at krichardson@krway.com
