Queensland extends Go card contract with Cubic

The Queensland Government has handed Cubic Transportation Systems a three-year contract extension covering the operation of the Go Card electronic ticketing system for Brisbane public transport.

Cubic announced it has signed a contract extension due to commence in September 2016 and last until 2019.

Cubic won a $134 million contract from state rail operator TransLink in 2003 to deploy and operate the smart card-based integrated ticketing system.

Queensland has announced an intention to replace the current Go Card system with a system that will enable travellers to pay for tickets using their smartphone or bank cards, and has invited expressions of interest from vendors looking to supply products and services for the new system.

According to the state’s department of transport, the new system should support technologies including near field communications (NFC) and EMV, the global standard for payment cards based on chip card technology.

Cubic said it has already responded to the expression of interest. The company was behind the deployment of major travel card systems including London’s Oyster Card and Sydney’s Opal card.

The government has indicated that it will be ready to announce the winner of the contract for the new system by March 2017.

Image courtesy of Ash Kyd under CC