Truckers have long been the eyes and ears of the road, and the industry and Colorado lawmakers want to officially put that perspective to use as the state continues its growing battle against human trafficking.

A proposal next year would do that through legislation by requiring all new commercial driver’s license candidates in the state to go through a course teaching them how to identify the tell-tale signs of trafficking. And what to do if they spot them.

It’s a model that follows what’s being done in several other states and that the industry says has shown success — and that it’s happy to support.

“It was really something that a lot of our companies and drivers have embraced,” said Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, an industry group. “It’s like having an army of additional eyes and ears out there to be monitoring this.”

Some trucking companies have already been voluntarily teaching their drivers how to identify signs of labor or sex trafficking when out on the road or at motels, as well as the means to get in touch with authorities and report what they’ve seen.

Read the full story at denverpost.com.

In this file photo, Trucker Randy Anderson waits in his semi-truck at the Port of Entry on I-25 near Fort Collins. A proposal next year would require all new commercial driver’s license candidates in the state to go through a course teaching them how to identify the tell-tale signs of trafficking.