A VTA-hosted conference had a strong turnout, with ore than 200 law enforcement agents, transit service providers and advocates focused on identifying and responding to various forms of exploitation and violence, including human trafficking.

The conference was held Wednesday, October 29, 2025, in anticipation of the crowds expected to attend Super Bowl 60 and FIFA World Cup games at Levi’s Stadium in 2026. With the expected increase in business in the region, there is also an increase in illicit activity and risk to vulnerable groups.

“We recognize that human trafficking is a problem, and that public transportation venues can also be a vector for some of these behaviors,” said VTA Chief System Safety and Security Officer Aston Greene. VTA has been on the forefront of Human Trafficking awareness, starting a training program for frontline workers in 2015 to identify the signs of human trafficking and how to report it.  There is now a regular public education campaign on VTA buses, light rail trains and at bus stops and stations.

Lt. Josh Singleton, of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Task Force says California has more human trafficking cases than any other state in the U.S. The South Bay Coalition Against Human Trafficking, an advocate for survivors reports Santa Clara County continues to see an increase in sex trafficking and labor trafficking.

VTA bus operators are in a position to see the signs of trafficking and employees go through periodic training to be able to notice those signs, report incidents and call for help. California AB 2034, which took effect in 2018, was modeled after VTA’s training program and requires frontline employees at all California public transit agencies to go through similar training.

A VTA public education campaign can be seen on wrapped light rail trains and buses throughout the County, as well as at bus shelters and light rail stations, with information and resources to report trafficking or call for help. VTA also urges passengers to download the VTAlerts app to discretely report suspicious activity.