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City and UC Davis promote BikeIndex registrations to curb theft and speed recovery
Summary
City of Davis and UC Davis staff described a joint BikeIndex registration effort that centralizes bike data, provides stickers/QR codes for recovery and encourages partnerships with bike shops and campus events to raise registration rates and deter organized theft.
City of Davis and UC Davis transportation staff on Feb. 9 outlined a joint effort to increase bike registrations through BikeIndex, a publicly accessible registry they say makes recovery easier and discourages opportunistic theft. "One of the most effective ways of reducing theft and making recovery easier is by registering your bike," said Corey Fross, the city's active transportation coordinator.
The presentation said both organizations joined BikeIndex in May 2021 to consolidate registrations into a single database. Presenters gave local figures from the BikeIndex portal: the city has 2,866 registered devices with 230 reported stolen and 22 returned to owners, while UC Davis lists 17,546 registered devices with 950 reported stolen and 359 returned. Staff cautioned those counts reflect reports inside BikeIndex, not police-case totals. "We don't really know how many bikes are in the city," Fross said when asked to estimate the percentage registered; he suggested roughly 10 percent but noted that the total-denominator is unknown.
Speakers emphasized practical benefits: BikeIndex provides proof of ownership via serial numbers and supports easy ownership transfers, and stickers with QR codes can let finders check registration status quickly. "If you see that sticker, it's very easy to get that bike back toward its owner when we see it abandoned," a commissioner said during discussion.
To grow registrations, staff proposed outreach at farmers markets and community events, partnerships with local bike shops to register bikes at point-of-sale or maintenance, and volunteer support from commissioners and student groups. Presenters said UC Davis student employees drive registrations during move-in and through the campus bike barn; the campus requires registration for devices on campus but does not actively enforce it.
Public commenters, including long-time residents, urged renewed emphasis on durable infrastructure and better connections but generally supported the registration push. Staff offered to provide stickers at events and follow up with deeper dataset analysis if the commission requests it.
The commission approved the consent calendar earlier in the meeting and discussed next steps for outreach; no new policy or ordinance was adopted at this hearing.
