This novelty animal mask was one of the bizarre items left by passengers on Oxford Bus Company buses in 2020.

Among the posessions left on buses and coaches were a pair of Bermuda shorts, a novelty animal head, a Superman onesie and a pumpkin.

During the Covid-19 pandemic face masks joined the ranks of the most common items left on vehicles along with mobile phones and umbrellas. 

Staff at the bus company customer services department recorded 1,920 lost items in 2020.

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Passengers reported 1,028 items lost and 328 items were returned.

The volume of lost items was around two-thirds lower than the previous year due to the reduction in passenger numbers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019 the company became the first bus operator in the UK to use new technology to make it easier for passengers to be reunited with their lost belongings. Oxford Mail:

The innovative NotLost platform enables Oxford Bus Company to digitally log misplaced items quickly and the system helps match them to the rightful owner.

Passengers who reclaim items pay a £1 administration and storage fee for the return of their belongings to help towards costs.

There is also a postal service available for returns. Unrecovered items are donated to local charities, or safely disposed of. The novelty animal head was not reclaimed, while the Bermuda shorts and Superman onesie were.

Andy Morison, head of customer experience at Oxford Bus Company, said: “Misplacing a personal item is often a stressful experience and so we use technology to make it easier to reunite belongings with their owners.

“We have highlighted some of the unusual items that are left on our bus and coach network to remind people that lost items are kept and can be reunited with their owners, so it is always worth checking.”

Alex Horne, executive chairman and co-founder of NotLost, said: “We’re proud to be working with Oxford Bus Company in their on-going commitment to delivering excellent passenger experience.”

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Oxford Bus Company provides bus routes in Oxford city and Abingdon, luxury coach services to Heathrow and Gatwick, the BROOKESBus service, in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, and the park and ride service which connects five car parks to the city.

There is also City Sightseeing Oxford - the hop-on, the hop-off open top bus tours of Oxford.

Oxford Mail:

The NotLost platform combines various features including image recognition and powerful search functionality with a simple, intuitive interface, transforming the way lost property is managed.

The bus company has previously revealed lost items in recent years which have included a light saber, a fireman’s hat, vampire teeth, a Soviet Union hat, a letter detailing sexual fantasies, a Donald Trump toilet roll and a giant tent.

 

2020 top ten lost items:

  • Bermuda shorts – claimed
  • Novelty animal head – unclaimed
  • Superman onesie – claimed
  • Christmas jumper – unclaimed
  • Pumpkin – unclaimed
  • Can of beer – unclaimed
  • Bottle of Itsu teriyaki sauce – unclaimed
  • Walking stick – claimed
  • Hand sanitiser – unclaimed
  • Hand-held air fan – unclaimed