529 Garage for
Schools & Universities
Discover the difference 529 Garage makes on your campus.
529 is a community initiative supported by Sundays Insurance. Learn more.
Bike theft is the #1 university crime.
Problem 1
Bike theft is #1 university crime
1.3-1.5M annual stolen bikes
Only 250,000 reported
< 5% returned to owners due to lack of registration
Students and parents unhappy with campus thefts
Problem 2
Abandoned bikes on campus
Students leave bikes on campus when they are off campus
Bikes are parked in unauthorised parking areas
Abandoned bikes have no student ID/registration
Campuses have no way to contact bike owner
Creates a logistical issue for campus bike parking and storage
The campus solution
Step 01
Register
Students enter their bike information including photographs via mobile app or website, instantly added to the 529 Garage registry.
3.3M searchable bikes
Step 02
Alert
If a bike goes missing, the bike owner quickly uses 529 Garage to launch a Missing Bike Bulletin, alerting nearby cyclists and social networks.
Step 03
Recover
Lost or found. Campus security and local officers scan the Shield or search the serial number. If the bike is registered, they see the owner's name, bike photo, and police report number, and can contact the owner instantly via the 529 service.
The platform
Campus security app
Scan a Shield, search by serial number, and contact the owner in under 60 seconds. Works on any iOS or Android device, or in the browser.
Campus dashboard
See registered bikes across your campus, theft hotspots and recovery trends. Export data for internal reporting and campus safety committees.
Bike alerts & Missing Bike Bulletins
When a bike is reported stolen, a 529 Missing Bike Bulletin is pushed to the app and to the 529 community within a 15-mile radius of campus.
Your own branded registry
A registration page customised with your institution's branding and security tips. Embed a registration form directly on your campus website.
Registration events
Use the 529 Campus app to host bike registration events. Enlist volunteers to get bikes registered fast, even offline. Build a safety culture from day one on campus.
Surveys & analytics
Want feedback from your community? Create and manage surveys. Monitor registrations and team activity to measure program impact.
Impound matching
Streamline impounded bike recovery by automatically matching found bikes to registered ones, saving time and resources for campus security teams.
World-class support
Daily assistance for bike recovery, service utilization, and community success in combating bike theft on your campus.
529 Shield
Visible deterrent. Scannable, tamper-resistant QR code that links straight to the owner if found.
Why the Shield matters
Reported data from over 35,000 theft cases suggests that bikes with a 529 Shield are on average recovered 2x more often than those without. In some states, the difference is even higher. When it comes to getting your bike back, visibility matters on and off campus.
How our campus partners use shields
As part of a campus safety strategy, our university and school partners register bikes and provide 529 Shields at welcome events, orientations, and bike fairs throughout the academic year.
Proven results
Vancouver adopted 529 Garage in 2015. Bike theft dropped 30% in two years, and kept falling.
Here's what that looks like in real life:
Thieves struck when Roberta was camping. They broke into her car, stole her home keys, then her two $16,000 bikes from the garage. Roberta filed a police report and started a 529 alert.
Four days later, a tip came in. Her bikes were listed on Facebook Marketplace. Within hours the police assisted, the thief was in custody and her bikes were on their way home.
Fewer bikes stolen. More bikes returned. That's 529 Garage.
Voices from campus
The cost of bicycle theft is bigger than the loss of the bike. It discourages cycling, invites unsavoury people to our campus, and ultimately hurts our university brand. 529 Garage is a welcome addition to the UO campus.
Paula Ellison
University of Oregon
After years of spreadsheet-based registration records and ugly stickers that never really stuck, we couldn't have been more excited to bring this easy-to-use program to our campus. Our students love being able to use the phone in their pocket to quickly register their bike, and our admins love being able to find the information on those bikes and their owners when they need it.
Aaron Madrid
Purdue University
Project 529 is one of our most popular programs at ODU. Students, faculty and staff love the ease of registering their bike on their phone or computer. As an admin of the program, it's incredibly useful to look up bike information for users who are missing their bike. We've also used the property room feature to retain information on abandoned bikes we've collected on campus.
Megan Gribble
Old Dominion University
789
Campus & community partners
40%
Reduction in theft in active cities
3.3M+
Searchable bikes
Enroll your campus
Bring 529 Garage to your campus.
Every campus is different, so our pricing is tailored to yours. Tell us about your campus and we'll put together a quote that fits your campus and goals.
Sized for your campus
Pricing scales with your student population.
Response within 1 business day
A member of our team reaches out with a tailored quote after you submit.
