With over 11 000 tram journeys and half a million passengers each month, it’s perhaps surprising that Torrens Connect collects only about 100 items of lost property in that period of time.
Lost property includes common items that you might expect: phones, glasses, wallets, and lots of umbrellas when it’s wet.
There have also been some more surprising items: a car jack, one crutch, a leaf blower and a used toaster!
We even get cash handed in (yes, there are honest people out there!).
Tram operators bring any lost property back to the depot at Glengowrie where it is logged with Adelaide Metro (customers can also report lost items on the Adelaide Metro website or by phoning 1300 311 108 which increases the chances of your property being returned to you).
Any perishable foodstuffs are binned, but anything else is kept for at least 3 months.
Torrens Connect staff attempt to contact owners if any identifying items are found: we might try to phone or email you; we might contact your school, university, bank or other organisations and ask them to get in touch with you on our behalf.
More often, we have to wait for customers to ask us or Adelaide Metro about their property.
Unfortunately, not everything customers lose on trams is found or handed to our operators – but it’s always worth asking!
Only about 30% of lost property is returned to its owner each month.
After 3 months, useable items are donated to charity and anything else is binned.
So: if you think you’ve lost something on a tram, please contact Adelaide Metro!
Lost property can be collected from the depot at 75 Maxwell Terrace, Glengowrie.