In 2013, I began working with TransLink in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), on designing and developing the Compass System, the region’s first contactless, automated fare collection (AFC) system. Delivering large-scale infrastructure projects can be challenging, and Compass was no different. However, that experience led to a unique level of trust and mutual respect between Cubic and our partners at TransLink. Today the Compass system is considered a massive success with an excellent customer approval rating, and I couldn’t be prouder of what our respective teams did to make it happen.
Having worked to help advance transit technology in Metro Vancouver for eight years, Cubic has a rich understanding of the region and its mobility needs. Beyond the city itself, Greater Vancouver includes an ever-expanding web of communities; for the region and province to continue to grow sustainably, the residents of smaller cities and towns must be able to travel seamlessly. For Vancouver and BC to unlock its economic and social potential, it must be accessible to all its residents and visitors, wherever they are.
We are thrilled to have won the opportunity to dramatically expand our presence outside of Metro Vancouver, as Cubic Transportation Systems will partner with BC Transit to provide contactless and mobile fare payment services for approximately 900 buses across more than 30 transit systems. This new partnership represents a huge step forward for the province, laying the groundwork for a seamless customer experience across BC, including urban centers, and a various collection of small communities.
MaaS in British Columbia
Our new solution for the province will create a vital connection between BC Transit and TransLink, BC’s two transit operators. By uniting these two agencies for a more seamless customer experience, BC residents can look forward to the benefits of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) in the future. In addition, this partnership creates the opportunity for long-term expansion, as other private and public mobility service providers could choose to integrate with either, or both, of TransLink’s Compass program and BC Transit’s Umo AFC solution.
These types of technology transformations require confident investment and visionary leadership. I am thrilled that both BC Transit and TransLink have recognized the massive potential benefits in bringing MaaS to the region and province. This clarity of intent and commitment to collaboration show that mobility in Vancouver and BC has a bright future ahead.
The Umo Experience
As BC Transit looked towards the future of its mobility needs, the agency recognized that its growing service area needed solutions that would work for all people: those who live in the Capital Regional District of Victoria and those elsewhere throughout BC; those who rely on their smartphones for everything and those who prefer to live tech-free; seniors; students; people with disabilities; and those who choose to pay with cash. By choosing Umo, BC Transit ensured that a reliable and equitable payment solution would be available to every resident and visitor.
This new payment system will make it significantly easier to plan and take journeys across the region for regular riders of BC Transit. BC Transit service area residents and visitors will be able to move seamlessly, with all fares charged to a unified payment account. Umo offers a tremendous degree of flexibility to BC Transit, allowing them to design and deploy discount fare passes and other unique payment options according to the needs of their community.
Most importantly, today’s investment in mobility by BC Transit will pay dividends for decades to come. The SaaS platform model allows any upgrades in software to be quickly and easily deployed to the region’s Umo system, ensuring that travelers are always enjoying the most modern and innovative payment experience. And as Greater Vancouver and BC continue to expand, the flexible platform can seamlessly accommodate new transit modes; as BC grows, Umo will scale alongside it.
A Team Achievement
The partnership between Cubic and BC Transit is the result of years of hard work by our team to truly understand customer needs in British Columbia. Our local teams continually provide exceptional service to travelers and our agency customers, giving us a solid foundation to build and expand new partnerships. I cannot say enough about the tremendous planning, innovation, and engineering that went into the development and release of Umo itself. I am thrilled for the Province of BC and its residents — your mobility future is looking bright.
