The fare collection project which covers MDCT’s rail, bus and
light rail services will be based on Cubic’s Nextfare Solution
Suite that includes all hardware, software and support utilities.
The suite, which features Cubic’s open architecture Nextfare
Business Management System and Tri-Reader smart card processor,
will facilitate auto-reload and internet ticket purchases and the
use of full-feature contactless smart cards for regular commuters
and limited use smart cards for visitors and occasional riders. The
US’ twelfth largest public transit system, the MDCT currently
records 326,000 boardings each weekday.

The MDCT contract is the latest in a series of ten contactless
public transport payments projects implemented by Cubic in which it
has deployed it Nextfare solution since its introduction in 2005.
Other public transport providers in the US using Nextfare are
Washington [DC] Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Maryland
Transit Administration, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit
Authority, Los Angeles County Metro, San Diego Metropolitan Transit
System, Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Transit, Port Authority
Trans-Hudson Corporation (New York and New Jersey), and Port
Authority Transit Corporation (Philadelphia). In Australia Nextfare
has been deployed by Brisbane Transport.

Other significant projects to Cubic’s credit include the
development for Barclays Bank of OnePulse – a dual function payment
card incorporating Transport for London’s Oyster smart card and a
low payment contactless credit card.

Cubic has been involved in the public transport ticketing sector
for over three decades and boasts 175 active customers in 40
markets worldwide. Annually its systems are responsible for about
16 billion passenger trips and about $18 billion in fares
collected.