MTD Partners with Local Agencies to Re-home Bikes

Source: Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) passed a resolution at today’s Board of Directors meeting to partner with local law enforcement agencies and the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (SBBike) to reconnect lost or stolen bicycles to their owners.

Under this new policy adopted by MTD, bicycles left on MTD buses will be checked against the Bike Index database, and the descriptions and serial numbers will be sent to the Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, and the University of California Police Department to check against police reports of stolen bicycles.

After ninety days, if the bicycle is not flagged as stolen and owner does not claim it, MTD may donate the unclaimed bike to SBBike, which operates a non-profit bicycle thrift shop called Bici Centro just across Haley Street from MTD Headquarters.

“We are excited to partner with MTD to help these abandoned bikes get safely tuned up and find new homes,” said Ed France, Executive Director of SBBike. “Bicycles are a great compliment to MTD’s service and great bike parking at stops and bike racks on the buses themselves are helpful amenities. As occasional bikes get left and go unclaimed in this system, we appreciate the ability as a bicycle-centric non-profit to take on these bikes as donations to the Bici Centro program.”

“As a transit agency, we are committed to making the first and last mile convenient for bus riders, and we encourage our riders to bring a bike along on their journey,” said Jerry Estrada, Santa Barbara MTD General Manager. “Unfortunately, some of those bikes never go home with their owners. We look forward to partnering with local law enforcement and SBBike to get these bikes back on the road.”

MTD buses are equipped with a bike rack on the front of the bus, and bus riders with bicycles are encouraged to exit through the front door and remind the driver that they’re unloading their bike.

All bike owners are encouraged to register their bikes for free at www.sbbike.org/bike_index so that they can more easily be found if the bike ever goes missing.