SCAT racks up unclaimed bicycles left on buses

Sarasota County Area Transit has a problem of the two-wheel variety: bicycles.

About 60 bikes have collected over the past eight months, crowding the available bike rack at SCAT’s main office.

Over the course of a week, one or two bikes are left on the front racks of the buses, said Charles Weccele, business professional with SCAT fleet maintenance. Most of the time, Weccele said, people forget them and usually remember and come to reclaim them within a few days of their ride. The unclaimed bikes are locked up at SCAT.

SCAT used to have a system in collaboration with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, said SCAT spokeswoman Kendra Keiderling. Every month the sheriff’s office would pick up five of the unclaimed bikes and send out a report on them, but it stopped in November.

“The problem with this is, people maybe have their bikes stolen, why would they call SCAT for their bike?” Keiderling said.

Someone might report the lost or stolen bike to the sheriff’s office but SCAT might have it, Weccele said.

Also, providing proof of ownership can be problematic, Weccele said. Some people may have a picture of themselves with their bike, and that is usually acceptable, but not everyone takes pictures of their bike.

Communications have opened back up between SCAT and the sheriff’s office, however, and the two organizations are working together to find a new process to deal with all lost items on SCAT, not just bikes, Weccele said. The county attorney is assisting, as well, to help the two follow the Florida statutes regulating lost-and-found items.

“Hopefully we can come up with a solution,” Keiderling said.

If they’re not reclaimed after the process is settled, Keiderling said SCAT will probably sell them and donate the money to charity, or donate the usable bikes to charity, she said.

Currently, if someone thinks their bike was left on a SCAT bus, he or she can call 941-861-1234, option 3.

Claimants will have to provide some kind of verification (a picture, or a key to the lock left on the bike, for example) to reclaim the bike.