Introduction
Imagine that you’re a driver for a ridesharing company. Your passenger has just left your vehicle, and the money has been transferred to your account. After the passenger, you can see that they forgot their bags in your car? Of course, you wouldn’t want to keep them.
Even if a passenger has the best intentions in mind, there’s no guarantee that they will remember something left behind in your vehicle after your ride is over.
Irrespective of the ridesharing company you work for, there’s always a chance that a phone or forgetful pair of headphones might slip a passenger’s mind. It’s vital to know what to do if this happens to you.
If a passenger forgets items in your vehicle, you may be unsure of what to do. This short guide helps you find a suitable resolution with that passenger.
Get a detailed description of the items and their condition.
Be sure that you have a detailed description of the items and their condition, as well as the contact information of the passenger.
An email is usually sufficient. From here, you can leave the property with your vehicle – but only if the items are valuable enough to make retrieving them worth it.
The ridesharing company you are working with may set a minimum value for this to be worth it for both parties involved. Suppose you cannot locate the passenger or determine that the items are not of high value. In that case, the property is left at an offsite storage facility until the passenger contacts your ridesharing company.
Establish whether those items can be traced back to their owners.
When determining what to do with items your ridesharing passengers leave behind, the first thing to do is establish whether those items can be traced back to their owners. If the item can be traced back to them—for example, a wallet that contains an ID card—you should try and get in touch with them as soon as possible.
Suppose you cannot trace the passenger who left an item in your car. In that case, it is your decision whether the item requires secure storage or if it may simply be disposed of. If you’re unsure, you should always opt for the safer option and store it securely.
After all, you don’t want a lost phone containing sensitive information ending in the wrong hands.
The main rule for storing lost property is that you should keep it safe and secure but easily retrievable by its owner. This means keeping things out of sight but accessible whenever they request their items back.
If necessary, log what was found and where and when it was found—this will make it much easier if the lost property needs to be retrieved later on.
Notify the passenger if you know how to get in touch with them.
The most obvious solution is to call the customer and tell them that they forgot something in your vehicle.
If you can, drive back to where they were dropped off and leave a note on their door or inside their mailbox. This way, they will understand that you are “one of the good guys” and simply forgot to check the backseat.
So be sure that if you do this, there is no possibility for anyone of ill-intent to find or remove your tip or anything else before the passenger can return.
If you know the passenger, contact them and tell them that you have their item. If you don’t see the passenger, call the rideshare company when and where the thing was left behind.
If you find someone else’s property in your vehicle, be a good Samaritan and return it to its owner if possible. Contact information is often found on ID cards, credit cards, or keys. If you’re unable to see contact information, turn the item to the nearest police station.
Report the incident to the ridesharing companies you work for.
If you find any items in your vehicle, make sure to file a lost property report with your rideshare company. They will help coordinate a return of the lost property to the passenger. Some ridesharing companie provides an online form on the driver portal that lets you easily submit a lost property report.
If you find any valuables in your vehicle (e.g. credit cards, firearms), it is highly recommended you turn them into local law enforcement as soon as possible.
Check to see if the passenger’s items are a security threat.
As a rideshare driver, if a passenger leaves an item in your vehicle while they exit, it is recommended that you check to see if the thing is a security threat. If it is not a security threat, you can call the passenger and ask them what they would like you to do with their items.
If it is a security threat, it is recommended that you contact the airport or police and ask what to do next.
Conclusion
If your client forgets items before exiting your vehicle, you’ll want to provide as smooth an experience as possible.
At a minimum, you should first verify their identity. Since they booked through one of the significant rideshare apps, this should be easy. Most platforms will provide some form of information right on their profile.
If you still aren’t sure, ask them for a picture of themselves with their cell phone or with the calendar app open (if it’s a scheduling issue). If you’re able to confidently determine that the person is who they say they are, then proceed with the appropriate protocol as below:
When a passenger leaves items in your vehicle, please return them to the passenger using the “Return Lost Item” button on the trip receipt. Any items left behind in your car should be replaced. Please use this policy to return lost items by following these steps:
- Return Lost Items
- Find the location of the item
- Send a message to the passenger that you have their item
- If it’s not a personal item such as a wallet or phone, click I’m unable to return the item and report what the thing is
- Suppose the passenger does not respond within 5 business days. In that case, you can keep or discard any items left behind in your vehicle.
You mustn’t take any additional trips until you’ve returned the item.