I am happy to announce that Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) will be implementing some exciting service changes beginning March 30, 2014.

We can finally bring back some Sunday service, the number one requested service-type from our 2013 onboard rider survey. Holiday service will be increased so that MMT will now run 362 days a year. We will run bus service every day except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

With unemployment rates in the Pikes Peak region stubbornly hovering near eight percent, perhaps the most exciting news is the new Route 23 local express service to the Powers corridor, an area that supports thousands of jobs. This express route will originate at the Citadel Mall Transfer Center with service to Barnes Rd. and Tutt Blvd. running every 60 minutes from approximately 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. You'll also be able to take Route 23 to a Sky Sox day game. Avoid the parking hassle, relax and enjoy the ride.

For details about these changes and others, please visit us at mmtransit.com.    

Sincerely,

A Baby (no, wait, false alarm), Bibles, Bicycles, Canes, a Cat (yes, a cat), Cell Phones, Computers, Diapers, Formula, Glasses, Gloves, Hats, Headphones, Medicine, Purses, Scarves, Strollers, Tools, Umbrellas, Wallets, Watches.

What do these things have in common? They've all been left behind on a Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) bus over the years. Curious about the volume of items left behind, I recently spoke with Patricia Amenic and Regina Cain, our Customer Service Representatives, to find out what happens to unclaimed items and learn more about our lost and found policy.

Lost and Found sign art courtesy of Maeson Dunlap of Pikes Peak Prep. Thanks, Maeson!

Everything that the drivers turn in to the lost and found at the end of each day is documented carefully. If it's a cell phone, Patricia and Regina try to locate the owner by calling family members in the phone's list of contacts. If it's a credit card, they try contacting the bank or card issuer to notify the card's owner. If it's an item without identification, it is documented, tagged, and stored until it is either claimed or turned over to the City's Property Disposal department. Patricia estimates that around half of what's lost goes unclaimed. It is MMT's policy to hold lost items for up to 30 days.

Once the items are turned over to Property Disposal, their value is assessed and they are made available for purchase at auction on publicsurplus.com. For those of you who haven't heard of publicsurplus.com, it is an interesting site with a flea market feel where you can find anything from baseball cards to jewelry to vehicles. Looking for something specific? It's definitely worth taking a few minutes to look over the ever-changing selection of goods.

If you think you left something behind on one of our buses, call Customer Service at 385-RIDE and describe the item in detail to find out whether it has been turned in. Items can be claimed during business hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) at the Transit Administration Building, located at 1015 Transit Drive. Anyone who comes to claim an item must be able to describe it in detail and present a valid photo ID.

 

-Studies have found that men who commute to work using public transportation are 44.6% less likely to be overweight due to increased active commuting.

-A study found that commuting by public transportation instead of by car increased energy expenditures equivalent to the loss of one pound of body fat per six weeks.

-The average American produces 20 tons of CO2 per year, or 121 pounds per day. So, by taking existing transit rather than driving alone, for a daily commute of 10 miles each way, a person would save 4,600 pounds of CO2 per year (based on 240 working days per year). That is 2.1 metric tons, or about a 10% reduction in carbon footprint. By comparison, weatherizing their home and adjusting their thermostat would save a person about 2,800 pounds of CO2 per year. Calculate your carbon footprint with the FTA Carbon Calculator.