It is estimated that more than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking with the U.S. a source, transit and destination country.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is spearheading local awareness efforts on human trafficking during January’s National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The agency is part of a regional coalition of transportation entities working together to raise public awareness on how to recognize and report potential trafficking.
The coalition seeks to highlight the problem of human trafficking with informational materials such as brochures and posters in both Spanish and English on hundreds of buses and trains, and through the education and training of employees. DART vehicles are displaying some of the posters.
Ad Loading...
The current regional partnership includes DART, Greyhound, Amtrak, The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), Megabus, and various social agencies and legislative advocacy groups.
It is estimated that more than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking with the U.S. a source, transit and destination country. DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas has signed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Pledge committing DART to addressing this important issue.
The pledge holds DART to be an industry leader, provide training and education, help develop policy, raise awareness among the travelling public and provide information sharing and analysis.
DART started in 2014 with police officer, fare enforcement officer, and bus and rail operator training to spot potential indicators of human trafficking and how to report it. With training of frontline employees complete, DART’s headquarter employees are scheduled to begin in early 2015. Additionally, traveler awareness and employee training programs at various transportation partners will take place through the year.
During a safety blitz, Metra employees will visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning rush hour, distributing educational materials on train and grade-crossing safety, answering questions, and listening to riders’ safety concerns.
Operated in partnership with Tech Valley Security, trained CDTA Ambassadors will be on select routes and will rotate throughout CDTA’s route network. Their presence is intended to provide customers with an approachable, visible resource focused on assistance and engagement.
Customers have always been able to report concerns through the CATS Customer Service line or the “Report a Problem to CATS” feature in the CATS-Pass mobile app; however, CATS has also integrated a Text-a-Tip line, giving riders multiple, easy-to-use channels to get support.
The audit found multiple safety compliance failures at the Charlotte agency, citing elevated assault risks and ordering corrective action within 30 days.
While their comprehensive analysis of bus stops focused on Massachusetts, the researchers are excited about the generalizability of the findings and application to other locations.
The new filters include substantially more activated carbon than traditional HVAC filters, which is especially helpful in providing a better transit riding experience for vulnerable populations, particularly children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses, according to the CTA.
MCTS officials said the new pilots are part of a broader commitment to improving the rider experience through proactive, visible safety strategies that balance enforcement with customer support.
In a recent episode of METROspectives, LYT CEO Timothy Menard discusses how artificial intelligence, cloud connectivity, and real-time data are transforming traffic management, boosting bus reliability, and enabling system-wide transit optimization across cities.
