under the control of a trafficker,” she said during the Oct. 17 California Association of School Transportation Officials Business Management Forum. She noted that the BOTL training


materials were the first to be designed specifically for the bus industry, and include a 30 minute video, plus a wallet card. Tese materials are provided free to education departments and other organizations. View the video and training at www. busingonthelookout.org. The American Bus Association has a


positive relationship with BOTL, said President and CEO Peter Pantuso. “Since our partnership began, a number of ABA members, many of whom also run student transportation services, have participated in BOTL’s training,” he explained. “ABA’s newly formed school bus council has made safety and security a high priority, and will continue to work with BOTL on training efforts.”


COLORADO EFFORTS Greg Jackson, executive director of


transportation and fleet services at Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado, is one of the BOTL student transportation partners. He told STN that the BOTL training boosted awareness of the drivers and assistants. “Tey were always somewhat aware, but not necessarily executing on it,” he said. “In Colorado, sex trafficking has become huge. For the drivers, the training was a reminder to be on alert that this is happening in Colorado.” According to Jackson, the BOTL training opened drivers’ eyes. “As they progressed through the presentation and follow-up discussions, it reinforced their role as first responders of abuse and neglect,” he observed. “It [increased] their awareness of that responsibility in all aspects of their surroundings and how they can take care of their students better.” Jackson said that some students ask about the BOTL stickers that the school bus drivers have stuck on their dash boards, which include the national human trafficking hotline phone number. “It’s about protecting them—that this is part of their job, to protect the students on their buses,” Jackson said drivers advise their passengers. “My folks have taken pride in this.”


WISCONSIN BECOMES INVOLVED David Butcher, VP of safety for school


bus contractor GORiteway in Wisconsin, is among other student transportation providers who have adopted BOTL anti- human trafficking training for their drivers.


“GORiteway is pleased to join BOTL and TAT in educating all of our employees in awareness and reporting of human trafficking,” he told STN. In July, GORiteway management was trained, and also developed a training calendar for all of its 1,400 drivers in coming months. Butcher reported that BOTL and TAT “provide actionable feedback to assist in combating human trafficking, both in Wisconsin, and in all parts of the country where we travel to.” Tat training will enable company drivers to “understand what human trafficking means, what to look for and how to report possible cases.” GORiteway, Butcher added, believes that human trafficking has occurred in “all 72 counties in Wisconsin, and that our participation will make an impact on reducing this illegal activity.” “When we were made aware of and


educated [about] the severity of human trafficking, and also how young people are coerced or forced into prostitution and slavery, we felt called to action,” said Wendy Bast, co-owner and vice-chair of GORiteway Transportation Group. “As appalling as it is and how it happens, GORiteway is committed and dedicated to doing everything we can to promote education [with] all of our team members and partners in the industry.”


KANSAS TAKES ACTION Jack Holcom, director of safety and


training at DS Bus Lines, Inc., said that he was first introduced to BOTL while researching a training program to educate bus drivers and monitors about human trafficking. Te Kansas Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit had recommended BOTL. In July, a new law went into effect that


requires all CDL applicants, both new and renew, to complete human trafficking training and present a certificate from Truckers Against Trafficking, or BOTL. Te Kansas Department of Education has also been informing school districts and school


Editor’s Note: Visit stnonline.com for additional material on human trafficking in schools. 16 THE SHOW REPORTER • OCT 26-31, 2018


Annie Sovcik, Esq., program director for Busing on the Lookout, discussed the vulnerability of children to traffickers at the California Association of School Transportation Officials Business Management Forum earlier this month. [Photo by David George.]


bus contractors of the new requirements. “We delivered the BOTL training video


at one of our school transportation locations. I witnessed our school bus drivers’ and monitors’ facial expressions,” Holcom added. “Tey realized they may very well make a difference recognizing human trafficking among their passengers, as well as conditions they may observe while out in the bus.”


“Some children do continue to attend school, even as they are under the control of a trafficker.”


— Annie Sovcik, Esq., program director for BOTL, a program of Truckers Against Trafficking


After the training and viewing, several


employees commented that now they will be more observant and aware of the signs of human trafficking. “Because of the positive feedback of the video and training, along with the assistance of Annie Sovcik from BOTL, DS Bus Lines has decided to make BOTL a training requirement at all of our locations in seven different states,” Holcom said. DS is starting to train over 700 employees who operate more than 500 buses, about increased awareness and observation of human trafficking. Holcom concluded that the BOTL training “makes each and every one of us operating school buses aware of the fact that we are out there every day seeing things many people may miss.” •


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