TMAF Interviews Esther Goetsch, Executive Director of Truckers Against Trafficking for National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

“The work we do is more than just a day job but a true passion…”

As Executive Director of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), Esther Goetsch leads the organization in its mission to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking, bus, and energy industry to combat human trafficking as part of their everyday jobs.

In an interview with TMAF, Esther told TMAF about how she first became involved in the organization after meeting the former executive director and co-founder of TAT, Kendis Paris, at church while she lived in Denver. Esther said, “With having a background in International Relations and social justice work, I was immediately drawn to the cause.”

In 2016, Esther joined TAT as a part-time employee to help run the Coalition Build program, which was still in the early stages of development. “That program brings together key decision-makers in the trucking, bus, and energy industries, law enforcement, and key government agencies to develop local strategies to combat human trafficking. I have always been a problem solver and bridge-builder, so the Coalition Builds program immediately captured me.”

Her work with TAT evolved over her time with the organization. “As I learned more about human trafficking and the work TAT is doing through the transportation sector to make system changes, I began to take on new roles and responsibilities within the organization.”

In 2022, Esther was asked to take on the Executive Director role at TAT, and she became the organization’s first executive director who was not a co-founder. “For those of us on the TAT team, the work we do is more than just a day job but a true passion, and so to be able to lead such a fantastic and dedicated team and continue this meaningful work that has been built over the last 12 years, has been an honor.”

The role that the trucking industry can play in combatting human trafficking is significant, and Esther explained why that is the case. “The trucking industry is uniquely equipped to be a front-line defender against human trafficking because truck drivers are often in the same areas where human traffickers attempt to sell their victims.”

The way truck drivers are trained and the responsibility they have delivering America’s freight also contributes to their unique position in the fight against human trafficking since truck drivers are “highly observant” while on the job. “Knowing what is happening in their surroundings at all times is part of their training and often instinctual, as these professional drivers navigate through every imaginable road scenario while delivering the products we all depend on. The industry is composed of people already entrusted with caring for other people’s goods, which speaks to the character of the drivers and being able to help when others might be in trouble.”

Given that there are over 3.36 million truck drivers on the road every day, the trucking industry can be a true force in the fight. “If you think about it, at any given time, there are more professional truck drivers out on the road than there are law enforcement officers, making them critical eyes and ears of our nation’s roadways.”

To help educate truck drivers and other transportation workers on how to identify human trafficking, TAT provides industry-specific training at no cost, which includes a documentary style training video and a wallet card. “We ask professional drivers or truck stop employees to call 911 if they are witnessing a crime in progress, and then call the National Human Trafficking Hotline so the data can be tracked, no matter where they are, night or day. They can make calls anonymously and confidentially to the hotline if they aren’t sure if what they’re witnessing is a trafficking situation, or if they need to access victim services.”

In addition to offering accessible training content for individuals, Esther explained other efforts that TAT takes to educate the industry more widely. “We also work with companies to add the training as part of their onboarding process with every new driver. We work with trucking schools to have the training done in the classroom, and we work with law enforcement and government agencies to be advocates of the information and training as well, knowing that the trucking industry is an invaluable ally to law enforcement when it comes to this crime.”

For individuals or companies that are seeking to learn more about TAT and how to get certified, you can visit truckersagainsttrafficking.org, or email info@truckersagainsttrafficking.org.