GET Lost and Found Policy

Golden Empire Transit District recovers many items that are left behind throughout its daily operations. It is GET’s policy to reunite these items with owners as soon as possible. GET secures all found items for 14 days. Items not claimed within 14 days are discarded or donated. GET is not responsible for items left on the bus that are not recovered by staff.

LOST ITEMS

Customer inquires regarding Lost Items

When a customer calls to inquire about a lost item, the customer’s name and contact information will be entered in the log. On a daily basis, the Receptionist will compare the inquiries with found items and call the customer to claim identified items.

FOUND ITEMS

Inexpensive items; sunglasses, clothing article, books, hats, etc.:

 Driver will place item in the Lost and Found area of the bus at the end of their shift.

Each morning the Receptionist will log each item in the Found Log, then place the item in our Lost and Found.

Items of value: cash, purse, wallet, backpack, cell phone, medication and keys:

If a driver finds such an item, the Transportation Supervisor on duty will be contacted immediately so the Supervisor can meet the bus en-route to retrieve the item. The item will then be taken directly to the Receptionist, logged in and locked in the Found closet.

If this is not possible, the purse, wallet, backpack, cell phone, medication, or keys can be turned into the employee on duty at the Downtown Transit Center. The employee and the driver will count the money together, write down the amount on a Found tag and place the tag inside the item.

If item is found after business hours, the item will be placed into the Lost and Found. The Receptionist will receive it the next day and with another employee on duty, will count the money. Both employees will sign, verifying the amount counted and place a found tag on the item.

 

Bicycles left on the bus will be turned in by the end of the day.

The Dispatcher or Transportation Supervisor who receives the bike will log each item in the Found Log.

Large Items that do not fit into the vault:

Large items such as a suit case, large plastic containers, etc. will be secured by a Transportation Supervisor.

The Supervisor will place such item in large cabinet in the locked closet then give details of the item to the Receptionist to be logged into the Found log.

 ID Cards, Licenses, Credit Cards, etc.:

If the item has an available phone number or address, the Receptionist makes every attempt to notify the owner that GET has the item.

The item will be held for 14 days. After 14 days the following dispositions will occur:

Driver’s License: A letter is mailed to the name and address listed on the license within five (5) business days informing the license holder that GET has the license. The letter states that the license can be retrieved in person prior to the 14 day deadline. If the license is not collected, it is mailed to the local DMV.

Social Security Card: Card is mailed back to the Social Security Administration Office.

Medicare Card: Card is mailed to the address listed on the back of the card.

Credit Card and Medical Card: These cards do not list an address. To ensure the security of the card holder, they are shredded.

Found items turned in at the Downtown Transit Center

At times, items are found by a GET employee, security guard or customer and turned in to the employee on duty at the Downtown Transit Center.

The employee on duty will log item into Downtown Transit Center Lost and Found Log then places item in Found bin.

If item is a backpack, wallet, purse, cellphone, medication or keys the employee will look through item for ID and/or money.

If item includes money, the employee on duty will have a second representative or Supervisor verify amount of money.

If no other employee is available to verify amount of money, the employee on duty will hold the money up to the video camera, count it and write the time this is done in the Found Log and on the Found tag. The tag will be placed inside the backpack, wallet, purse, cellphone, medication or keys and then the item will be placed in Found bin.

At the end of the day, the closing employee will gather found items and give all items to the closing Transportation Supervisor.

All money listed will be recounted by the closing employee on duty and closing Supervisor to verify amount prior to the change of custody. (Any discrepancy of amount of money in item vs amount listed on tag is to be reported immediately to Customer Service Supervisor)

The closing Supervisor will transport all found items and placed in Lost & Found. Bikes will be kept on site in a secure location.

On occasion a customer will call immediately for the lost item. If the item has been turned in to the employee at the Downtown Transit Center, as a courtesy to the customer GET will allow them to retrieve their item from the employee on duty.

Customer must identify item completely without having a visual of the item.

If the employee on duty is certain the item belongs to the customer attempting to claim it, the employee may turn over the item.

When an item is given to a customer, the customer must provide ID, sign the log and provide a telephone number to indicate the item was returned.

The employee on duty turning over item must verify in log as well.

Examples of ways you can identify your item.

Cell Phone, Keys, Medication

Physical Description.

You must give the employee on duty the phone number and the employee will call the number to verify it’s the correct number to the phone in question.

The employee on duty can look through address book in phone to verify some of the names listed.

Purse, Wallet, Backpack

Physical Description.

Verify ID in wallet matches name customer is giving.

Look for any ID in wallet that may have a photo and match photo to customer.

Items that are not retrieved by owner during the 14 day period.

  • Cell phones will be donated to The Open Door Network.
  • Money will be logged into front cash box and turned over to Finance.
  • Bikes will be donated to Bike Bakersfield to be refurbished and donated to persons in the community who need a bike and cannot afford one.
  • All other items will be donated to the Bethany Services, Bakersfield’s Homeless Shelter or other non-profit such as Goodwill or Salvation Army.