Dart Transit joins Amber Alert Highway Network
Eagan , Minnesota -- According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 260,000 children are abducted each year. An AMBER Alert mobilizes a community when an abducted child is believed to be in imminent danger of injury or death.
To assist in these rescue efforts, Dart Transit Company of Eagan , Minnesota and its professional truck drivers are joining forces with other companies as part of the AMBER Alert Highway Network.
When an AMBER Alert is issued anywhere in the United States , a satellite message is sent to trucks in the area that are equipped with QUALCOMM ® mobile communication equipment. The messages include information about the child, suspected abductor, and the suspect’s vehicle. Using this information, truck drivers can be effective spotters from their vantage points high in the cabs of their trucks.
QUALCOMM satellite-based OmniTRACS mobile communication units are widely used by the trucking industry.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the first few hours after abduction are critical to the safe recovery of an abducted child. The speed and precision of satellite messages can be key elements in the Amber Alert system. QUALCOMM provides the communication service free of charge to the AMBER Alert Highway Network.
AMBER Alert works. According to the NCMEC, more than 260 children have been recovered as a direct result of AMBER Alerts since the program began in 1997.
“Professional truck drivers can play a key role during an AMBER Alert,” says Gary Volkman, Vice President for Safety at Dart Transit Company. “They are trained to be observant and they are alert to what goes on around them. By the nature of their work, truck drivers are present nearly everywhere, making them a tremendous resource during an AMBER Alert. This is one way that Dart can provide an important community service, all across the nation.”
About Dart Transit Company
Dart is headquartered in Eagan , Minnesota and ranks among the 25 largest dry-van, truckload carriers in the nation. Dart operates with 2,500 independent owner-drivers and 7,200 trailers, providing its customers with dedicated, national, regional, and local transportation services. Dart also provides intermodal, brokerage, warehousing, and equipment leasing services. Additional information is available at www.dart.net.
About AMBER Alert
AMBER Alert ( America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) is a voluntary partnership of law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, and transportation agencies that issues urgent bulletins in the most serious child abduction cases. The Amber Plan began in 1997 after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was kidnapped in Arlington, Texas. The shocked community responded by suggesting that radio stations broadcast special “alerts” to help prevent such incidents in the future. Since then AMBER Alert has become a nation-wide network covering all 50 of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice serves as the National AMBER Alert Coordinator.
About the NationalCenter for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC’s congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 365,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 117,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 99,500 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.
