TravelCenters of America hosted the Freedom Drivers Project (FDP), a Truckers Against Trafficking program, at its TA travel center in London, Ohio, this month. The FDP is a first-of-its-kind mobile exhibit that educates visitors about human trafficking, which affects tens of thousands of people in the United States every year.
The project focuses on how to identify and report signs of trafficking since professional drivers are uniquely positioned to take action to stop it. The exhibit also provides a glimpse into the realities of human trafficking and information about how the transportation industry is driving change.
TravelCenters of America executives attended the event alongside local government officials, the TA London team, professional drivers and community members. Attendees joined together to engage with project staff, witness this moving multimedia experience and learn about how to combat human trafficking.
- TravelCenters of America is No. 29 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by company-owned store count.
Pictured (above) left to right: Micah Larsen, Freedom Drivers Project specialist; Patrick Closser, Mayor of London, Ohio; Tim Toomey, TA London general manager; Debi Boffa, TA CEO-Designate; Lori Oconnor, Popeyes manager; Duane Harrison, district manager; and Rodney Bresnahan, senior vice president of operations.
The Mobile Freedom Drivers trailer (above) offers visitors the opportunity to learn about human trafficking.
Debi Boffa, TA CEO-Designate tours the exhibit (above) that includes a theatre station, actual artifacts from trafficking cases and portraits of professional truck drivers who are working to end human trafficking. This exhibit provides many with their first glimpse into human trafficking and the steps they can take to end it.
TravelCenters of America, acquired by bp in May, is operator and franchisor of the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express travel center brands. The Westlake, Ohio-based company has more than 280 locations nationwide.
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