San Diego-headquartered Cubic Transportation Systems has been selected by the government's Waka Kotahi agency to build national ticketing solution (NTS) for Aotearoa New Zealand.
The NTS will cover 13 regions across the country, and will allow passengers to pay for fares on buses, trains and ferries.
Cubic Transportation Systems' president Jeff Lowinger said the US company, which has operated in New Zealand since 2000, has a proven track record of delivering complex solutions for publci transport.
Lowinger said CTS has done so in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Queensland and London, and the New Zealand system will be similar to the ones deployed overseas.
Michael Wood, Labour's minister of transport, announced the NTS on Friday.
Here's more on today's National Ticketing Solution announcement. NTS will mean:
— Michael Wood (@michaelwoodnz) October 20, 2022
��Use your debit/credit card or phone for public transport
��One system for the whole country
⛴️You automatically get the best fare
A major step forward for PT in NZ. https://t.co/68dPh4K4E8
Wood said the NTS is meant to encourage people to use public transport more, which in turn will reduce congestion and emissions, contributing to the decarbonisation of New Zealand's economy.
Users with contactless payments cards and phones with nearfield communications (NFC) technology will be able to use them to buy fares in public transport in New Zealand.
Apple Pay and Google Pay will be supported by the NTS, as well as pre-paid transit cards.
Currently, regional centres use different cards for public transport, such as AT HOP in Auckland, and Snapper in Wellington.
The NTS is scheduled to go on trial in Christchurch, in 2024, with other regions transitioning to the unified solution by 2026.
