Human Trafficking Training Supplement for CDL School Curriculums

Abstract

The objective of this project was to design and develop a human trafficking education and training module for Virginia CDL schools to integrate into existing CDL curriculums. The project leveraged insights and findings from the research team’s recently completed Human Trafficking Outreach and Education Campaign project (Mabry, 2025) to create focused and engaging content. The module also pulled from best practices reflected in programs offered by Truckers Against Trafficking, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Polaris, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign. A focus group was conducted with eight CDL students enrolled at a local community college to beta test the draft training module. Feedback was collected, analyzed via content analysis, and incorporated into the final training. Feedback identified opportunities for improvement, notably the need for stronger human-centered content, broader statistical framing, and repeated reinforcement of available resources. Revisions addressed this feedback to strengthen the emotional impact of the training without extending it beyond the duration that CDL schools can reasonably accommodate.

The final module and accompanying speaker notes were distributed to approximately 30 CDL schools across Virginia. This training will provide Virginia CDL schools with a practical, curriculum-ready option for delivering short, evidence-grounded training that can be incorporated into existing CDL training curriculums in Virginia. Additionally, the module points to longer, more comprehensive education and training programs offered by Truckers Against Trafficking, Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking, and the Blue Campaign for schools that elect to provide more in-depth coverage of human training and individual learners who wish to pursue more education on their own.