Bizarre Lost Items

Public transit can be a real headache, especially when it comes to the heart-wrenching moment you realize you’ve forgotten your phone, wallet, or umbrella on a bus or train. However, this year in Ontario, commuters have forgotten some truly unusual items alongside their everyday essentials. Imagine leaving a porcelain doll, a Mac DeMarco vinyl record, or even a mini-fridge behind! Yes, you read that right—a mini-fridge!

Lost and Found Office at Union Station

Metrolinx, the organization managing GO trains and buses across the province, has a bustling lost and found office located at Union Station, Toronto's main transit hub. This office is a treasure trove of lost items, meticulously organized, with cabinets overflowing with everything from everyday essentials like backpacks and mittens to quirky finds such as a box containing a 24-inch television and an unwrapped Christmas gift.

How Lost Items Are Gathered

How do these lost treasures find their way to the lost and found? Vince Paradiso, Union Station ambassador, explained, 'We have an internal courier system that collects lost items from various transit points and brings them here. We work hard to reconnect lost items with their owners.'

Timeframe for Lost Items

Typically, it takes anywhere from two to ten days for forgotten items to arrive at Union Station's lost-and-found. Paradiso estimates that hundreds of items pass through their hands each week! The most frequently abandoned items tend to be bags of all kinds, while small items like AirPods frequently slip through the cracks as people juggle their belongings.

Amusing Anecdotes

Paradiso shares amusing anecdotes from the office, claiming to have seen everything from toaster ovens with food still inside to, believe it or not, a samurai sword! 'Bicycles, luggage—it's astonishing what people manage to leave behind!' he said. Lost items are kept for 30 days, and if unclaimed, they get donated to charity.

Comparison with TTC

In comparison, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is also facing a significant number of lost items this year, expecting to tally up to 50,000 forgotten treasures. The TTC claims to hold onto most items for 30 days, while bicycles are stored for just 15 days before being auctioned off at Police Auctions Canada.

Conclusion

It’s clear that the world of public transit is not just about the commute; it’s also a revolving door of lost and found items. From shopping carts to mobility devices, and now, even a mini-fridge, the adventures of Ontario's commuters continue to be as unpredictable as their journeys on public transport! So next time you hop on a bus or train, be sure to double-check your belongings—because you never know what may be left behind—and what that could mean for someone later.