Highway Heroes: Attorney General Moody enlisting truckers in fight against human trafficking

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Attorney General Ashley Moody is seeking to increase the number of Floridians working to end human trafficking and is enlisting the help of a Sarasota-based organization.

PGT Innovations is the largest private-sector employer in Sarasota County and including the company in the campaign will add more “Truckers Against Trafficking,” -- certified commercial driver license holders -- on Florida roadways.

Highway Heroes is a multifaceted outreach campaign including specialized training, awareness materials mailed directly to CDL holders, and a website with resources to educate drivers on how to identify victims and report suspected human trafficking.

The campaign started in October 2020 through a partnership between the Florida attorney general’s office and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

PGT Innovations President and CEO Jeff Jackson said, “We’re honored to partner with Attorney General Moody’s office in support of their Highway Heroes program. Our PGT Innovations fleet is one of the largest in Florida, and our drivers travel over 1.8 million miles per year across the entire state to deliver our products. The Highway Heroes training will provide invaluable skills for our drivers to identify and report the signs of human trafficking. In addition, we will be including this training as part of our new hire orientation for all new employees joining our PGTI family. Our team members are incredibly proud to do our part to combat these terrible crimes and save lives.”

PGT Innovations is a leading national supplier of windows and doors, with four manufacturing locations in Florida and more than 4,000 employees. The company employs its own team of CDL-certified truck drivers to deliver products, and through the Highway Heroes campaign, PGT Innovations pledges to train 100% of the drivers in their fleet to identify and report human trafficking.

For more information about the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, click here. Commercial truck drivers are not the only Floridians who can gear up to combat human trafficking. All citizens can join the fight by learning how to spot and stop human trafficking at YouCanStopHT.com.

If you suspect cases of human trafficking, contact local law enforcement and call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.