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
Florida Transit Agency to Link Concessionary Discounts to Open-Loop Payments
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority in Florida plans to enable eligible riders to receive their concessionary discounts when using open-loop payments, one of the few transit agencies anywhere to do so, Mobility Payments has learned.
The authority, PSTA, which launched open-loop payments last February along with two neighboring agencies, plans to enable customers who tap contactless credit and debit cards–and also NFC payments
Special Report–France: Strong Growth in Open Loop, but Mainly for Occasional Riders; Paris Still Missing in Action
Nearly 50 cities or regions have adopted open-loop payments in France or are scheduled to launch within the next year (see table on this page), with more in the pipeline.
It may be premature, however, to call France an open-loop hotspot like the UK and some other countries. The vast majority of French transit authorities that support open loop restrict the service to single rides.
Special Report: NEORide Group in U.S. to Rehire Masabi for Fare System; Did Other Vendors have a Chance?
UK-based Masabi has held onto an important ticketing contract in the financially squeezed software-as-a-service market–a project that at least some rivals contended that they had little chance of winning, Mobility Payments has learned.
A selection committee for Ohio-based NEORide, a council of governments body that coordinates mobile ticketing for more than 15 transit agencies across multiple U.S. states, chose Masabi for its procurement.
Hong Kong’s Metro Operator to Launch Open-Loop Payments Before End of 2023
The operator of the large Hong Kong metro system announced it will launch open-loop payments Dec. 23, initially restricting card and mobile wallet acceptance to Visa-branded cards under an apparent exclusivity and marketing deal with the payments scheme.
Paris Transport Officials Announce New Ticketing Options for Olympics; Will They be Sufficient?
The recent announcement by French transport officials of their special fare passes and other ticketing measures for next year’s Olympics in Paris will likely make few people happy.
Incumbent Supplier Accenture Believed to have Won Toronto Contracts, Despite Efforts by Agency to Find New Vendors
Transit officials in Toronto are believed to have chosen to rehire their incumbent fare-system provider–IT services firm Accenture–to supply a new account-based system, sources told Mobility Payments.