Meet Wayne: UPS tractor trailer driver Wayne Ponschke has 26 years of safe driving with UPS. That equates to more than two million accident-free miles. He’s also passionate about showing up for his community, so it’s only natural that he’s deeply involved with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), a non-profit that helps truck drivers identify the signs of trafficking and take action.
A real superpower: “UPS is everywhere. Our vehicles are everywhere,” Wayne said. “We have the ability to get the word out on highways and residential streets. A simple human trafficking prevention training can bring a child home safe to their family.”
Wayne first got involved with Truckers Against Trafficking in 2019 and quickly dedicated himself to creating safer communities. His most meaningful effort so far? Participation in the Freedom Drivers Project – a mobile 18-wheeler exhibit that brings the realities of sex trafficking to life.
Wayne recently hauled the trailer from Denver, Colorado to Ontario, California with 11 stops along the way. He’s one of 20 UPS drivers certified to move the trailer and give guided tours of the exhibit. So far, the exhibit has traveled more than 11,000 miles and hosted 3.9 million visitors.
“The saying goes, ‘if I can help just one person, my job is done.’ Well for me, it’s just getting started,” Wayne said. “Having the blood, sweat and tears of TAT’s vision backed by a company such as UPS is one of the most humbling experiences I will EVER be a part of.”
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month: January of each year is a time to raise awareness of the devastating impact of human trafficking. UPS stands with human trafficking survivors everywhere and is committed to creating a more equitable and just world.
Detection and prevention: Employees can donate specifically to this cause through UPS’s anti-human trafficking impact fund in UPS Community Connections. To-date, UPSers have raised more than $8 million to combat human trafficking. Our dollars fuel community impact programs and train victim service providers to support survivors in Georgia, Nevada, Kentucky and Texas.
Milestone moment: More than 100,000 UPS employees have been trained to recognize and report human trafficking, and The UPS Foundation has donated nearly $1 million to support Truckers Against Trafficking.
What you can do to make a difference:
- Learn about the red flags of human trafficking.
- Call the hotline number 1-888-373-7888 to report human trafficking.
- Hear from Nikki Clifton, president of social impact & The UPS Foundation on three ways businesses can fight sex trafficking.
- Dive deeper into how UPS is driving the fight against human trafficking.