MTA Lost and Found Fails to Track Most Items

By Y.M. Lowy

A new report from MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort reveals that most lost items never enter the MTA system’s official lost and found database.

In a test, auditors gave 24 items to transit staff, and only one was logged and returned. On the Long Island Rail Road, results were slightly better, with less than half of the lost items recovered.

The report found that lost items often remained in the field for weeks before being collected by the Lost Property Unit. Once there, poor recordkeeping and the lack of an automated system slowed the process, creating long backlogs. On average, it took more than 27 days for an item to be processed.

The Inspector General made 14 recommendations to NYC Transit and the LIRR aimed at improving tracking, speeding up returns, and standardizing procedures across the system.

The report highlights ongoing challenges in the MTA’s lost and found system and the need for better accountability.