Cubic Introduces New Mobile Ticketing Machine
03 July, 2003
category: Contactless, Transit
New Product Allows for Faster Boarding Times and Minimizes Driver Distractions
SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 3, 2003–The transportation
segment of San Diego-based Cubic Corp. (AMEX:CUB) has introduced the
Mobile Ticketing Machine (MTM), an on-vehicle transit ticketing system
that issues bus riders paper transfers and processes contactless smart
cards. The MTM is an enhancement to Cubic’s “one stop” on-bus
processing suite of ticketing/fare management equipment, which allows
public transit authorities to accept multiple forms of payment,
including cash, stored value tickets, time-based passes and smart
cards.
The MTM allows for faster boarding times and keeps distractions to
a minimum for bus drivers, freeing them to focus on fast, safe,
on-time service to the public. The MTM also reduces transfer fraud and
eliminates the cost of pre-printed transfers-two concerns of public
transfer authorities-as the unit prints transfers on demand at the
point of service,
Cubic’s MTM product expands the capability of the company’s Driver
Control Unit (DCU), which was introduced to the public last year. The
DCU is a powerful processing platform designed to integrate automatic
fare collection technology, including contactless smart card
processing and farebox cash collection. The fare processing
intelligence software distinguishes between different forms of payment
and is compatible with Cubic’s Tri-Reader(R) technology, which allows
transit authorities to use a variety of smart card platforms.
“Cubic is committed to market development of our bus/on-vehicle
ticket processing technology,” said Richard A. Johnson, president and
CEO of Cubic’s transportation subsidiary. “We are continually coming
up with new answers that address our customers’ growing need to offer
regional ticketing, which allows commuters to use one ticket to make
seamless transfers among multiple transportation providers and modes,”
he added.
The MTM unit is sold and priced as part of an integrated ticketing
system featuring Cubic’s DCU. The DCU works in conjunction with
Cubic’s new Autoload technology, which allows people to purchase
tickets on the Internet and Ticket on Departure, which allows smart
cards to reload with a pre-determined amount of value. With a
high-speed digital cellular option in combination with an optional GPS
receiver, the MTM also gives transit authorities real-time secure
communications between vehicles and central communications. It is the
heart of an integrated Vehicle Management System.
Cubic is creating multi-agency, multi-mode regional fare
collection systems in various areas such as London, Los Angeles, San
Diego and the Northern Virginia-Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area, where
regional bus and subway providers will be able to allow their riders
to pay their fares with a common fare card. In London, the TfL Oyster
Smart Card is used; in the D.C. area, it is the WMATA SmarTrip card;
and Cubic is performing a contract with the Port Authority
Trans-Hudson (PATH) rapid-transit rail system, where the company’s
smart card technology will be integrated with New York City Transit’s
(NYCT) MetroCard(SM) system. The company also recently announced a
contract milestone with the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit
(BART) District, where Cubic’s new fare collection will give BART the
flexibility in the future to transition to smart card-based ticketing
that will be employed by neighboring transit agencies throughout the
region.
Cubic Transportation Systems is the world’s leading system
provider for regional multi-operator intermodal ticketing systems.
Every year, nearly 10 billion rides are taken worldwide using Cubic
fare collection systems in more than 40 major markets on five
continents, including London; New York; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore;
Sydney; counties in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark; Rotterdam; Chicago;
Atlanta; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Miami; Hong Kong; Guangzhou;
Shanghai; and Singapore.
The corporation’s other major segment, Cubic Defense Applications,
provides instrumented air and ground combat training systems, battle
command training, simulations and simulation support for U.S. and
allied military forces. The group also produces high technology
avionics, data links and communications products for government and
commercial customers, and a wide range of technical and logistics
services. For more information about Cubic, see the company’s Web site
at www.cubic.com.
CONTACT: Cubic Corp., San Diego
Jae Lande, 858/505-2642
[email protected]