The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has selected Cubic Transportation Systems to provide the state with a new ticketing system.
Under the terms of the contract, Cubic will be charged with designing, building, and operating the new ticketing system, as well as assuming responsibility for upgrading the current system to enable the use of contactless payments and allow for gathering real-time passenger information.
Operation and maintenance of the system is also included in the agreement.
The Queensland government earmarked AU$371 million for the upgrade[1] of the public transport ticketing system as part of its 2018-19 Budget delivered last week.
Expected to be rolled out across the state over the next four years, the government said the system will add new customer-facing functionality, including payment by contactless debit and credit cards, mobile phones, and wearable technology in addition to go card and paper tickets.
The new system, using Cubic's One Account technology, plans to allow commuters to use bankcards, mobile phones, and personal electronic devices including watches to pay for travel on public transport.
"This payment solution will bring more convenience and freedom of choice for commuters," Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said in a statement Wednesday. "We're delighted that proven technology already used across London, Chicago, and Vancouver will be further enhanced for the benefit of Queensland commuters."
Cubic currently supplies the state with its go card and is also the provider of the Opal public transport system in New South Wales.
Speaking at the WT Wearable Technologies Conference in Sydney in December, Lance Blockley, managing director of The Initiatives Group and part of the evaluation committee that chose Cubic to rollout Opal, said Cubic