Transportation Department takes steps to raise human trafficking awareness

July 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Transportation Department on Friday said it's taking several actions to both raise awareness and prevent human trafficking.

The action includes a new collaboration among transportation sector leaders, too.

"Transportation workers and the traveling public have a key role to play in the fight against human trafficking -- which is why it's so important for everyone to recognize the signs and be prepared to report it," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.

Buttigieg has appointed 15 members of the DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking. The committee will develop a report that includes recommendations on countering human trafficking.

The committee consists of people from law enforcement, maritime, port, rail and trucking sectors from both industry and labor. Members include lived-experience experts and representatives from anti-trafficking advocacy organizations.

The DOT is working to train aviation industry personnel to identify potential traffickers using in-flight and on-the-ground reporting methods.

The department said more than 350,000 employees have been trained through the Blue Lightning Initiative.

The Federal Mobile Carrier Safety Administration's "Your Roads, Your Freedom" also has a public awareness campaign to help educate the commercial motor vehicle industry on recognizing and reporting suspected human trafficking.

And the DOT is joining with the U.S. Homeland Security Department for a joint training of Amtrak ticket office workers on recognizing and reporting suspected human trafficking.

Since 2012, DOT's 55,000 employees have trained to recognize and report human trafficking.

Friday's announcement was made in recognition of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

Human trafficking, according to FMCSA, is "a crime that involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or a commercial sex act. All commercial sex involving a minor is legally considered human trafficking, regardless of force, fraud, or coercion."