Yellow Taxi NYC Lost and Found
Contact Lost and Found Yellow Taxi & Green Taxi
Discovering that you’ve left something behind in a cab in NYC can leave you feeling completely hopeless that you’ll ever see that item again. Once that cab pulls away the feeling that your item (whether it’s a cell phone, or even the bag containing the new shoes you just purchased) is forever lost quickly washes over you. But your lost item does not need to be a lost cause. If you follow the proper procedures to recover your item there is a chance you might see your prized possession again!
The information contained on your receipt is vital for the process of recovery, so be sure that you always ask for this little piece of paper at the end of your ride.
In NYC, a taxi driver for either Yellow Medallion Taxicabs or Green Boro Taxis (which serve the areas of NYC not usually covered by Yellow Medallion Taxicabs) is required to either return lost or left behind items directly to the owner, but if this is not possible they must bring the item to one of the designated police precincts listed below.
Manhattan
17th Precinct
167 E. 51st Street
212.826.3211 or 212 826 3600
Central Park Precinct
86th Street & Tranverse Road
212.570.4821
Brooklyn
76th Precinct
191 Union Street
718.834.3211
94th Precinct
100 Meserole Avenue
718.383.3879
Queens
107th Precinct
71-01 Parsons Blvd
718.969.5100
115th Precinct
92-15 Northern Blvd
718.533.2002
Bronx
43rd Precinct
900 Fteley Avenue
718.542.0888
Staten Island
120th Precinct
78 Richmond Terrace
718.876.8500
In some cases the item will be brought to the driver’s garage, so it’s important to try calling there as well.
Recovering Your Item
Once you have discovered that you’ve lost an item, you’ll need to gather some information and call 311 (or 212 New York), or otherwise access 311 online by visiting http://www1.nyc.gov/311/. Your receipt will contain most of the information you need to make a lost property claim.
The information you will require includes:
- The date and time of your cab ride,
- The location of pick-up and drop-off,
- The driver’s name and licence number
- The Medallion or licence plate of the vehicle,
- A full description of the item along with the value (estimated)
- The amount of the fare as well as the method of payment.
Once you have made a lost property claim you will be able to check the status of your claim within two business days, which can be done online by visiting http://www1.nyc.gov/311/ (click the link to check status) or by calling 311 on your smartphone or mobile device. In both cases, you will need the confirmation number given to you when you made your claim. This number typically begins with C1-1-XXXXXXXX. If the confirmation number you were given does not have C1-1, you will only need to enter the number without including the dashes or spaces.
Other Recovery Alternatives
NYC is one of the largest cities in the world, with thousands of yellow, green, and black cabs operating daily – however, as stated above, recovering an item is not necessarily a lost cause…especially due to fact that well-established recovery systems have been in place for many years (i.e., particularly since the mid 1990s) to help passengers re-unite with lost items.
What if the formal inquiry process isn’t working? Is there anything else I can do?
Even the most organized person can make a mistake and leave something behind. Items fall out of pockets or purses when you’re in a rush and it’s easy to forget that you set something down on the seat when you’re pulling money from your wallet to pay for a fare.
Certain items are much easier to find than others.
For instance, the most common item left behind in taxi-cabs is cellphones/smartphones.
In the event that you discover you’ve lost your cell phone – try calling it right away. If the driver or another passenger hears your phone, it’s likely they’ll answer it, which will make the recovery process much faster. There are also apps that can be installed on your phone to help you locate phones, in the event it is lost.
Other tips:
Be sure that you always check the location where you were dropped off, and leave your contact information if possible – especially if you suspect you lost your item in a cab you caught outside a particular hotel or restaurant. It is possible that the item may be returned to your ‘last known’ location. In some cases, the next passenger who found your item may contact you to arrange its return (it actually happens more often than you’d expect!).
It can’t be stressed enough – always get a receipt for each trip. The information contained on that little slip of paper is one of the best chances you have to recover lost property.
If you’re still having trouble locating an item, give your cab company a call, or try checking in with 311.
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