NEW JERSEY – NJ TRANSIT on Thursday announced a new systemwide anti-human trafficking awareness campaign as the region prepares to host major events connected to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The campaign, titled “Safe Passage,” builds on NJ TRANSIT’s 2025 initiative, “Human Trafficking Isn’t Always Easy to Spot,” which earned the agency the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2025 Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award. Officials said the updated effort places a renewed focus on public safety and awareness with the expected arrival of more than 1 million visitors to the tri-state area.
NJ TRANSIT President and CEO Kris Kolluri announced the campaign alongside New Jersey Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo and former professional soccer player Bradley Wright-Phillips. As part of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, NJ TRANSIT unveiled two buses wrapped with campaign messaging that will operate statewide throughout January.
“As we prepare to welcome the world to New Jersey for the FIFA World Cup 2026, we are reaffirming our commitment to public and passenger safety,” Kolluri said. “This campaign is about equipping the public and our employees with the information they need to help protect vulnerable individuals and strengthen our collective vigilance.”
NJDOT Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Fran O’Connor said the initiative reflects the agency’s role in ensuring safe travel during global events. “With New Jersey taking its place on the international stage, it is our responsibility, along with our partners in law enforcement, to proactively raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking while taking meaningful action to prevent it,” O’Connor said.
Transit police have received specialized training to identify and respond to potential trafficking situations, Trucillo said. “We take our responsibility to prevent and detect human trafficking very seriously,” he said. “By working together, we are committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and secure travel experience for everyone traveling to matches and utilizing our facilities.”
The “Safe Passage” campaign includes expanded on-site activations at rail hubs, bus terminals and event transportation corridors, along with pop-up outreach efforts on high-traffic dates. NJ TRANSIT said additional elements will include station signage, transit shelter ads, multilingual directional information, and enhanced digital and mobile reporting tools for visitors.
“As we prepare to welcome the world to our region for the World Cup, safety must remain at the center of everything we do,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York New Jersey World Cup 26 Host Committee. “NJ TRANSIT’s Safe Passage campaign demonstrates the kind of proactive, coordinated approach that major global events demand.”
Former Premier League and Major League Soccer player Bradley Wright-Phillips said he was proud to support the effort. “That’s why I’m proud to partner with NJ TRANSIT to help ensure fans, families, players, and visitors can travel safely and confidently across New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia,” he said.
NJ TRANSIT will also roll out additional anti-human trafficking training for frontline personnel beginning this month, including police officers, rail and bus operators, and customer service staff. From January through July 2026, the agency plans to work with athlete ambassadors from professional, collegiate and youth soccer organizations to promote campaign messaging tied to World Cup-related events.
Officials said the initiative reinforces NJ TRANSIT’s broader commitment to public safety through education, training and partnerships aimed at preventing human trafficking across the transit system.
