Lost And Found: Uber's Greenlight Hub A Treasure Trove Of What's Been Left Behind
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- What happens in an Uber stays in the Uber, unless of course you left it behind.
At Uber's Greenlight Hub in Lawrenceville, you can find all kinds of personal belongings that have been left behind -- from money, to glasses, to keys and wallets.
Manager Kevin Kerr explains there is a system in place to handle items left behind.
"So what we do is take items and file them away for 45 days and sometimes more, and then reach out directly to riders to try to coordinate pick-up or delivery of their items," he says.
Items are filed away by category, but one of the items most often left behind is cell phones.
So, how do you get back what you've left behind?
"If you're a rider and you left something in your Uber, it's easiest just to report it through the app. Go to the Help section, more often than not, you're able to connect with the driver and arrange for a drop off.
There is a $15 fee for the driver to return your item to you. But not everyone reports a lost item, which how things end up at the Greenlight Hub, including cash, and lots of it. Drivers have turned in hundred dollar bills on more than one occasion.
Kerr said the donations stay local.
"Usually among the staff. If we have 'X' amount of money, we'll donate. We'll pick an issue at hand that we want to donate to; for example, if there is a particular tragedy or natural disaster we'll donate to those groups," Kerr said.
Some of the other things they come across are well, a little unusual. Halloween costumes, sets of luggage, and presents - gift-wrapped and ready to be opened.
Most things are left behind on the weekend, and there is a spike around the holidays, too.
But behind every lost item is a story, says Kerr.
"We have folks who come through here exasperated, 'I'll never see my keys again,' or 'My wallet was full of all my cards, now I don't have to replace them,' so its very human, its exciting for us. Its a cool experience," he says.
The easy part for Uber is every rider has some type of account, but sometimes, the riders only form of communication is their cell phone, and that's the very thing they left in the back seat of the car. So, the best advice is look around before you get out of the car.
