10/30/2026
TravelCenters-TA-Petro (TA) cashier Cassandra Fuller has been named the 2026 winner of TAT's Harriet Tubman Award!
In mid-February, Fuller saw a woman enter the store through the quick-service restaurant entrance. She was covered in dirt, barefoot and bleeding from her mouth. Fuller approached her and learned the woman had escaped a man who’d been holding her against her will and physically assaulting her. The woman had managed to jump out of a vehicle on the highway and run toward the lights of the TA location seeking help.
Fuller acted quickly, escorting the woman to the back office to ensure she remained safe and out of public view while they called 911 together. She then waited with her until the police and EMS arrived. She also notified management of the situation.
Due to the actions of Fuller and the TA team, the victim not only received help and evaluation at a nearby medical center, but law enforcement officers later apprehended her perpetrator.
“I didn’t do it for fame, fortune, or recognition,” Fuller said. “I did it because human trafficking is real, lives are being stolen, and this world is already in shambles. When I had the chance to help someone who needed a voice, I did what I hope someone would do for my own family. Winning this award is an honor, but knowing I helped make a difference in someone’s life means more than any recognition ever could. This award is a reminder of why we must keep speaking up, staying vigilant, and standing against trafficking, because doing the right thing shouldn’t require an award, and saving a life should never require a reason. To be honest, after the incident, I thought that’s all it was, a done deal. Months went by before I was even told I’d been nominated.”
The Harriet Tubman Award, sponsored by WEX Fleet comes with a $5,000 check and a trophy and is presented annually to honor a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place.
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