Carlile United: How Fighting Human Trafficking Transformed a Trucking Company’s Culture

Carlile Transportation‘s initiative to stop human trafficking started almost serendipitously. During a meeting with Covenant House, a longtime Anchorage community partner, Krista Williams, Carlile’s President, and Karla Korman, VP of Human Resources, learned about the trafficking survivors who had found shelter there.

“It was kind of a side note where the Director said, ‘A lot of our residents have been trafficked, and we’ve given them a safe home,'” Korman recalls.

By coincidence, the very same day, Carlile line driver Duuane Cooper emailed Williams asking if the company would allow drivers to display the Truckers Against Trafficking stickers on company trucks. The timing seemed more than coincidental.

“This is telling me this is something we really should be doing,” Korman told Williams, who immediately agreed. They reached out to Rich Wilson, Carlile’s dispatch manager, a former Marine who they learned was already a volunteer at an organization that supports victims of abuse and human trafficking.

Uniquely positioned to combat trafficking, truckers can actively detect potential victims at trafficking hotspots like rest areas, truck stops, and interstate corridors during their daily routes. Their constant presence on the road makes them invaluable allies in identifying suspicious activities that others might miss.

This positioning is particularly crucial in Alaska, where Anchorage has one of the highest reported rates of trafficking among homeless youth nationally, with Alaska Native communities disproportionately affected.

What makes Carlile United extraordinary is how thoroughly employees have embraced and expanded the initiative. When the team began developing training, they discovered nothing suitable off-the-shelf—feeling that everything had political undertones.

So, Korman, Williams, and Wilson built their program during nights and weekends.

The employee’s response stunned them.

“The reception we got was amazing,” Korman explains. “The vast majority of our employees were unaware of the full scope of the issue.” Many were mad at what they learned. Others shared personal connections. “It was striking how many employees came forward to share how they’ve been personally affected by child trafficking.” The effort received immediate employee support.

Soon, Korman says, employees approached management with requests: “Can we have swag? Can we get hats? Can we get stickers?”

Without a budget, the company incorporated anti-trafficking messages into planned purchases like safety vests. A vendor approached to create hats reading ‘Carlile United Against Human Trafficking’ and offered to produce items at cost.

The momentum has only grown. Drivers now want their vans wrapped with anti-trafficking messages. They volunteer their time to staff booths at community events like the Fur Rondy and local health fairs. Some have embroidered their jackets, paying for it themselves.

“In our awareness training, we empower employees by encouraging them to speak up and raise awareness about this horrific crime,” Korman explains. “When I shared the vision of being a ‘billboard’ for the cause, they truly embraced it.”

Perhaps most remarkably, the initiative is transforming company culture. “Never have I been part of a company that brought people together in this way,” says Korman. “We transformed our culture. Usually, that comes from a focus on employees, but our culture changed by focusing our energy on others.”

Employees have been invited to speak at industry events, including the Alaska Trucking Association‘s annual meeting, where several Carlile drivers will personally share their commitment to the cause.

“I know people who have been affected. One thing they say is that they don’t feel noticed or heard and that they lose hope,” explained Cooper in a video statement shared at the event. “I believe we can give people hope. If there are more good guys than bad guys, positive change happens–but it’s going to take everybody as a whole community.”

“We are asking other companies to unite with us against child trafficking,” Korman explains. “United, we can make a difference.”

The initiative has resonated beyond just employees. Customers have taken notice, too, and are strengthening connections and relationships in a new way.

With human trafficking generating approximately $150 billion globally and the vulnerability of Alaskan Natives and homeless youth, Carlile employees recognize the importance and urgency of their mission.

“This is not just Carlile,” Korman emphasizes. “We’re in it for everybody to be in it.” The company freely shares its marketing tools, training materials, and resources with anyone who asks—even competitors.

In the fight against human trafficking, Carlile is working to leverage its unique position in the trucking industry to make a difference and simultaneously transform its own culture for the better.