CATS partners with non-profit to donate phones left on public transit

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — You’d be surprised how many people leave their belongings on CATS buses and trains.

So much so, Charlotte leaders are now partnering with a non-profit to find a new use for the cell phones never been reunited with their owners.

The CATS lost and found room is full of hundreds of items, including purses, shoes and even laptops left behind by people during their commutes. CATS leaders collect about 1,000 cell phones and other electronics every year. Now, they have a new program where they can donate the unclaimed devices.

“We think that there would be a way to put these phones back into the community, really give them new life if you will,” said Interim CEO Brent Cagle.

Every day, people come to the Charlotte Transportation Center searching for belongings left on public transit. Some of those items are pretty typical, like wallets, glasses and backpacks. Others are a little rarer, like a crockpot.

The most common thing in the lost and found room is cell phones.

“With the transit system, as many vehicles as we have with light rail, buses, it becomes inevitable with folks that at some point they lose their cell phones or electronics,” said Cagle. “We try to get them back to their rightful owner, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.”

When that doesn’t happen, instead of sitting in drawers collecting dust, the mobile devices get a new purpose.

“They take them and they create a bank of phones they are able to give out to folks for 911 purposes so that they can use those phones if they can’t possibly afford their own,” said Cagle.

CATS is working with an organization called Charitable Recycling. The phones unclaimed after about a month will go to the non-profit, get wiped of data, and be given out to people in need.

“They’ll work with law enforcement groups, domestic violence groups, other groups to make sure that these phones really have a new use out in the community,” said Cagle.

Since the city council approved the idea earlier this week, donations can start almost immediately.

“I think it’s absolutely a better use than just disposing of them or sending them out to a surplus auction,” said Cagle.

If you do leave something on CATS’ property, you have 30 days to claim it from the lost and found room in the Charlotte Transportation Center.