The Oxford Bus Company has revealed some of the unusual items which were left on its vehicles by passengers last year.
Among the items left on buses and coaches in 2020 were a pair of Bermuda shorts, a novelty animal head, a Superman onesie and a pumpkin.
[wlm_nonmember][…]
By subscribing you will benefit from:
- Operator & Supplier Profiles
- Face-to-Face Interviews
- Latest News
- Test Drives and Reviews
- Legal Updates
- Route Focus
- Industry Insider Opinions
- Passenger Perspective
- Vehicle Launches
- and much more!
Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that face masks joined the ranks of the most common items left on vehicles, along with mobile phones and umbrellas.
Staff at the Oxford Bus Company customer services department recorded 1,920 lost items in 2020.
A total of 1,028 items were reported lost by passengers and 328 items were returned. The volume of lost items was around two-thirds lower than the previous year due to the reduction in passenger numbers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2019 Oxford Bus Company became the first bus operator in the UK to use new technology to make it easier for passengers to be reunited with their lost belongings. The NotLost platform enables Oxford Bus Company to digitally log misplaced items quickly and the system helps match them to the rightful owner.
Passengers who reclaim items pay a £1 administration and storage fee for the return of their belongings to help towards costs. There is also a postal service available for returns. Unrecovered items are donated to local charities, or safely disposed of. The novelty animal head was not reclaimed, while the Bermuda shorts and Superman onesie were.
Andy Morison, Head of Customer Experience at Oxford Bus Company said: “Misplacing a personal item is often a stressful experience and so we use technology to make it easier to reunite belongings with their owners.
“We have highlighted some of the unusual items that are left on our bus and coach network to remind people that lost items are kept and can be reunited with their owners, so it is always worth checking.”
Alex Horne, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of NotLost, said: “We’re proud to be working with Oxford Bus Company in their on-going commitment to delivering excellent passenger experience.”
Other lost items in recent years have included a light saber, a fireman’s hat, vampire teeth, a Soviet Union hat, a letter detailing sexual fantasies, a Donald Trump toilet roll and a giant tent.
[/wlm_ismember]
