U.S. Transit Agency to Overhaul Fare System; Plans to Keep Incumbent Vendor Cubic with No-Bid, 5-Year Contract
Another mid-tier transit agency in the U.S. plans to accept open-loop payments, under a planned fare system overhaul that will also implement account-based ticketing.
Metro Transit, which serves the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota, disclosed this week it plans to hire Cubic Transportation Systems with a no-bid, five-year contract worth an estimated
Five Vendors or Groups Express Interest in Fare-System Project in Poland, including Conduent and Cubic
Warsaw transport authority ZTM has prequalified five vendors or vendor groups to bid on its forthcoming RFP for a new account-based ticketing system, which will support open-loop payments, Mobility Payments has learned.
The five qualified suppliers or groups includes U.S.-based Conduent, the incumbent
Helsinki Open-Loop Project Beset by Delays, Procurement Problems
Helsinki transit agency HSL says its “goal” is now to launch a pilot of its delayed open-loop payments service during the summer of 2024–followed by service being available on all transport modes by the end of this year, the agency’s program director for the project told Mobility Payments Friday.
But it remains to be seen whether HSL will hit those targets. The pilot is already more than a year late,
Cubic Reveals Organizational Chart of New Leadership Team Tasked with Getting Fare-Systems Vendor Back on Track
Cubic Transportation Systems president Peter Torrellas has recruited an expanded senior leadership team during his first 100 days on the job, including creating at least five new or revamped positions–as CTS seeks to recover its market stature, Mobility Payments has learned.
The organizational chart (see below) shows new positions for chief growth officer, chief digital officer
TIP SHEET: Cubic Hires VP of Innovation; More Virtual Cards for Google Wallet; Cal-ITP Disappoints Again
New Cubic Hire Hails from Firm Providing Info to Local Officials on Best Practices
Cubic Transportation Systems has made another key appointment from outside the organization and beyond the fare industry, hiring the co-founder of an organization that provides information and data on best practices to local government officials.
NTT Data Complaint Letter in Melbourne: ‘Never Observed a Process Like the One Conducted’
NTT Data contends that its ousting as operator of the large fare system in Melbourne, Australia, and the surrounding state of Victoria will “cost Victorians for many years to come.”
That’s according to a letter–notable for its highly critical tone–sent by the Japan-based IT provider to a top Victoria state transport official last June. It followed a decision by the state to choose U.S.-based Conduent to take over the myki transit fare system.
Tennessee Transit Agency Plans to Launch Open-Loop Payments in 2024
The Nashville MTA, known as WeGo Public Transit, in Tennessee, plans to launch open-loop payments in 2024 for its fixed-route buses and commuter rail, Mobility Payments has learned.
The project will cover more than 300 validators on fixed-route buses across the transit agency’s network and at commuter rail stations.
Cubic Hires Another Fare-Industry Outsider for Senior Management, as It Seeks Turnaround
Cubic Transportation Systems has hired another transit fare-industry outsider to fill a senior leadership role, as the struggling U.S.-based vendor seeks to turn its fortunes around.
Stephen Caldwell, formerly of large Dallas-based business and technology consulting firm Pariveda, who describes himself as a “problem solver,” started work Monday as chief digital officer for Cubic.
Japan’s JR East in No Hurry to Support Open Loop as Suica E-Money Continues to Grow
JR East, the giant Japanese railway company, is the largest single transit agency so far to not yet introduce open-loop payments of fares. And the agency has signaled no plans to support the technology.
That is bucking a trend in the Asia, where more major transit agencies are supporting the technology or plan to do so. That includes Land Transport Authority in Singapore, the Skytrain and MRT in Bangkok, and the launch late last month of open loop by Mass Transit Railway, or MTR, in Hong Kong. The Taipei
Tip Sheet: Cubic’s Listening Tour; Novel RFP in Montreal; Delays in Sydney; ‘Next Steps’ for Ireland
Cubic Transportation Systems president Peter Torrellas and the corporate turnaround expert he hired, Rich Varos, have held a series of meetings with Cubic clients and partners starting late last year. Both execs only joined the vendor in the fall–their first jobs in the transit fare industry–so perhaps it’s understandable that