From Part 1: Each year, millions of people board OCTA buses and when they get off, they leave behind hundreds of items which are carefully collected and stored in a warehouse in Anaheim. OCTA’s Lost and Found is operated by the Orange County Adult Achievement Center (OCAAC). One of the most common items to end up at Lost and Found are bicycles. The Lost and Found typically collects more than 200 bicycles every three months. While some are claimed, the majority are left without an owner.
After 90 days, OCAAC sells the remaining bikes and proceeds are used to fund recreational programs for the developmentally disabled. The bike sale is open to the public and prices start as low as $10.
Mary Oster, a client at OCAAC, manages the Lost and Found Center. She keeps items organized and helps reunite riders with their lost belongings.
“We see all kinds of things here,” Oster said. “One time, a coin purse with $700 was found, and another time, a patio table top was brought in. I’m not even sure how they got it on the bus.”
Other unusual items include shopping bags with new merchandise, bags filled with laundry, beach chairs, wrapping paper and even a few walkers and canes. In fact, 10 canes were found in the last three months and only one was claimed.
Riders who lose items with some type of identification, such as wallets or purses, receive a postcard in the mail alerting them that OCTA may have found their lost item. Unfortunately, many of these postcards are returned.
The only item that goes back to OCTA is cash. The cash is deposited into the OCTA General Fund, which pays for bus operations. More than $8,000 in cash was found on buses in the last three months and just over $4,000 was claimed. OCAAC handles all other unclaimed items.
Riders who have left personal belongings on the bus can call Lost and Found at (714) 560-5934 to find out if an item has been turned in. Providing a detailed description of the item is helpful, along with the day, time and route where it was lost. Lost and Found is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday. To find out about upcoming bike sales, follow OCAAC Bike Sale on Facebook.
