The Caltrain Rail Operations and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department are bringing bike registration to bike owners with their partnership with Project 529, an app-based system allowing bike owners to input identifying information about their bike and report theft.
San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, which contracts with Caltrain to serve as the agency’s Transit Police unit, has access to the 529 database for both Caltrain and several other bike communities already registered with the program if a bike is reported stolen in the area.
To promote the program, Caltrain is hosting three free bike registration days which are detailed on its website.
Caltrain riders who use a bicycle are encouraged to take advantage of these events and help deter theft. In addition to the digital registry, the program offers shield stickers, which indicate the bike’s secure registration and help deter theft. The first 500 people per location to register their bike will receive a free shield sticker.
“On Caltrain, Transit Police frequently locate and recover bikes. However, enforcement becomes challenging in the absence of registration information to verify ownership,” said Lieutenant Victoria O’Brien. “This partnership with Project 529 adds an additional layer of security for Caltrain riders who use a bicycle.”
