Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The agency is rolling out the GPS-based system across the remaining three boroughs after last year’s successful launch in Staten Island and the Bronx. Cubic will install the MTA’s Bus Hardware System on approximately 3,800 buses serving Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

The acquisition broadens Cubic's portfolio of transportation solutions. NextBus' customers include the major metro systems in Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Boston, as well as many well-known small and mid-sized transit agencies, universities and colleges.

Passengers traveling by bus in London have the option of paying their fare with their contactless debit, credit or charge card by simply presenting it to one of the card readers on the bus.

The company wanted to test its open payment account-based products and determine if people would use the same media as both their fare card and their retail spend card, and both objectives were successfully achieved.

The international system integrator deployed the first phase of EASY Card in a record 15 months, with contract award in June 2008 and launch in September 2009. Less than a year later, Cubic added SFRTA’s Tri-Rail to the EASY Card system.

Will allow customers to pay transit fares with any contactless bankcard that conforms to industry standards, the same way they can pay for goods and services in the retail world.

Now, riders will be able to use American Express contactless payment cards, as well as cards from other major payment networks, to make secure transit payments at PATCO.

Nextaccount will pave the way for mobile payment and ticketing solutions in transit, giving travelers the ability to pay transit fares directly at the point of travel with NFC-equipped mobile phones.

In 2011, the two entities partnered to create the first transit-agency branded, all contactless Visa prepaid card in the world. This was among one of the first times that consumers had been able to use the same transit payment card for both transit and retail purchases.

Participating operators include BART, San Francisco Muni, AC Transit, CalTrain, SamTrans, Santa Clara VTA and the Golden Gate Bus and Ferry system.