VTA is proud to have been the model for a newly signed California law addressing human trafficking and how public transit agencies can help fight it.

AB 2034,  signed by Governor Brown Thursday, September 27, makes it mandatory for all public transit agencies in California to provide training for its employees on how to identify the signs of human trafficking and call for help.
Assembly member Ash Kalra, a former VTA Board Chair, brought the bill forward modeled on VTA’s training of its operators and other employees.

In partnership with the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission, more than 2,200 VTA employees have gone through Human Trafficking awareness training, and it is part of new employee training as well.

Bus and light rail operators are among our most public-facing employees and therefore are in positions to see and help stop illegal activities that may be going on aboard their vehicles and at transit centers.

VTA’s training paid off just months after it was first offered to employees in 2015, when bus operator Tim Watson put his new skills to use, noticing a suspected kidnapper with a four year old boy on his bus.  Watson was able to follow the training procedures, to quickly catch the suspect and safely rescue the child.

See Something, Say Something
You can learn the signs as well by watching this short video. Download the VTAlerts app on your smartphone to quickly and discretely report any suspicious activities you notice on the VTA bus or light rail systems. See an informational brochure about human trafficking here. You can contact authorities for more information or help by calling (408) 918-4960 or emailing humantraffic@sheriff.sccgov.org.

The new law goes into effect on January 1, 2019 requiring training to be completed for transit workers by 2021.