Tip Sheet: Sydney’s Transport for NSW Says Procurement of Opal Next-Gen System Still on Track; Also, Why Kurt Brissett Likely Left the Agency
Also in this article: White-Label Technology Gets Slight Boost from Dutch Project; New Zealand Rollout Delayed Again; Agency Said to be Unhappy with Cubic’s Progress. Please write to contact@mobility-payments.com with tips.
RFP for Sydney’s Big Opal Next Generation Project Expected in Coming Months
Update: A long-awaited request for proposal for the major Opal Next Generation project from Sydney authority Transport for New South Wales is now expected "around the middle of 2024," an agency spokeswoman told Mobility Payments. That will be two years after officials first announced the project.
The spokeswoman said the agency still expects to keep the project within the original budget estimate of just under AU$568 million (US$374.6 million). End update.
MaaS App Trial in Sydney to Include Numerous Subscription Plans, Separate Booking for Private Mobility Services
The New South Wales government in Sydney has released more details about its “Opal Plus” mobility-as-a-service trial, which will offer a large number of weekly subscription plans that bundle rides on the metro, trains, trams and buses in the Australian state. In addition, users will apparently have to book rides with private mobility providers separately.
Updated: New South Wales Government to Roll Out Digital Opal, Launch MaaS Trial App
The New South Wales government in Australia plans to spend just under AU$568 million (US$395 million) to upgrade its Opal fare payments system, including rolling out a digital Opal card and launching a mobility-as-a-service app.
Australian Transit Agency to Launch Mobility-as-a-Service Trial as It Pursues Long-Term MaaS Strategy
Plans by Transport for New South Wales, Australia’s largest transit agency, to launch a trial enabling users to plan, book and pay for multimodal rides is the next step toward the agency’s long-term goal of building a full mobility-as-a-service, or MaaS, platform.
Sydney Transit Official: Opal Card Not Going Away, Despite Growth of Contactless
Sydney-based Transport for New South Wales, Australia’s largest transit agency, has no plans to phase out or de-emphasize its closed-loop Opal card, despite strong adoption of contactless open-loop payments by customers, especially with mobile wallets, according to Kurt Brissett, executive director for connected journeys for the agency.
Australia’s Transport for New South Wales Sees ‘Significant Increase’ in Use of Mobile Wallets by Riders
Mobile wallets now make up more than half of all contactless payments for Transport for New South Wales, Australia’s largest transit agency, the agency confirmed to Mobility Payments.
Sydney to Test Multimodal Payments with Private Mobility Providers Using Digital Opal Card
A trial to be held later this year in Australia’s largest city, Sydney, if it proves successful, could offer one example for how agencies can encourage customers to take multimodal transport combining public and private operators. The economics behind the New South Wales government’s trial offer are unclear, however.
Australia’s Commonwealth Bank Seeks to Expand Open-Payments Push for Transit and Other Mobility Projects
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the acquirer and processor for the open-loop payments service rolled out by Transport for New South Wales in Sydney, says it is negotiating with transit officials in other Australian states to help launch similar payments services. It also hopes to be involved in payments for mobility-as-a-service platforms.