Why I Work for RTD: Tonia White

“I work in Lost and Found. I really like my job because I like helping people. I help people find stuff that they have lost on the bus or the train. It is sometimes challenging, but it's a fulfilling job for me, because I like to help people get their stuff back. It is never the same. Every day is a learning experience for me. Every day is different.

“You have to have patience in this job. The hard part is I can't help everybody. When I get their stuff back and they're happy and they thank us, that is the happiest part of my job.

“Before RTD, I was in community corrections. There it was the same thing: I helped. I like jobs where I help people. That's where I come from, and that's where my heart is.

“Sometimes they get upset with us when we can't find their things. And sometimes it's challenging when we tell them we don't have it, and then they're upset with us. They tend to go off on us.

“Something that has surprised me? Getting ashes. That was shocking to me. How did you leave that on the bus? And then nobody claimed it.

“People often leave phones and wallets. We get about 40 phones a day. They have 10 days to pick up phones, wallets, and bikes. We have so many bikes, even in the winter. The A (Line) train is a lot of suitcases. I can see (losing) headphones because, you know, you might set them down. We get purses. We get keys.

“We got a guitar. The bigger the item, I don't know how you left it, you had it in your hand. And medications. How do you lose your medicine? Or traveling with your birth certificate and you just leave it, passports. I keep passports for 30 days. I send all Social Security cards back to the Social Security Administration. VA cards, I send back. I send back school IDs. School computers, I send back to the schools once a month. Money that is not claimed is turned into Treasury. Anything that I can send back, I send back. I try to get everybody their stuff back. Other stuff that I have to get rid of is shredded and destroyed. Everything is accounted for.

“I have a strong work ethic – my mom taught me to work. I like the people that I work with. I like the company. I like my boss, Miss Amerie (Gagliardi). She's sweet, and she has our back. But No. 1 is I like to help people.

“I’m fun and I’m crazy. I’m going to make it happen. I can be moody, but I'm laid back. I like to laugh. You’re going to have fun working with me.”