Global mobility company Cubic Transportation Systems has announced the launch of a new Mobility as a Service product called launched Umo™. The product is launching in the US with plans to expand aspects around the world.
Cubic says the product is a fully-integrated suite of platforms for riders, transport agencies and mobility service providers to “complement its existing portfolio of transport technology”, and that Umo is a flexible suite of products that enables riders to conveniently pay fares and plan trips across public and private modes, earn rewards for riding public transport and access real-time information to optimise their mobility experience.
The product is designed to give travellers the ability to travel safely, seamlessly and stress-free around their city or town, and is scalable platform-based approach is designed to benefit agencies of all sizes from the smallest bus operator to larger towns and cities.
“Cities are undergoing a paradigm shift for transportation, with COVID-19 capping a decade in which the transit ecosystem fractured into a complex landscape of new private modes alongside public networks,” said Mick Spiers, general manager of Umo. “With Umo, our vision is to improve quality of life in towns and cities around the world through optimised mobility. Our platform is accessible to all types of travellers and provides the tools people need to travel without congestion, without delays and ultimately, without stress.”
“Umo is a single multi-agency platform. All customers connect and consume the service in a subscription-based model, much the same as you connect to services such as Spotify, Netflix or Office 365,” added Spiers.
“Umo provides our riders with an easy-to-use platform for engagement with public transportation that simultaneously offers accessibility and trip-planning information across private modes,” said Alan Bright, chief financial officer of Shreveport Area Transit System (SporTran). “As cities everywhere look to recover lost transit ridership after a pandemic-induced decline, Cubic’s technologies are critical in helping us do that by delivering an intuitive, streamlined experience.”
Cubic says Umo comprises six distinct travel solutions, each one a “powerful standalone tool that becomes even more productive when combined with other offerings in the Umo platform”. Riders can access Umo products through the convenient and easy-to-use Umo mobile app or contactless bank or metro card.
Cubic describes the platform as including:
• Umo App: A colourful, user friendly experience with best-in-class multimodal trip-planning and fare payment capabilities all in one app. Developed in partnership with Moovit.
• Umo Pass: An account-based fare collection platform for transit agencies that reduces the cost burden of traditional fare collection and makes it easier for riders to pay through various touchless options, including both electronic payment and cash-preferred riders.
• Umo Pay: Provides a simplified approach for allowing transit agencies of all sizes to accept contactless scheme cards (Mastercard, Visa and American Express) as payment on buses and at railway gates.
• Umo Rewards: A loyalty program that incentivises riders to engage with public transit and their communities by rewarding frequent, safe and congestion-reducing travel behaviours. Riders also earn rewards through engagement with sponsored content from Umo partners, which can provide a new revenue stream for transit agencies.
• Umo IQ: Enables transit agencies to monitor and manage their vehicle fleet, and deliver accurate, real-time travel information to riders’ phones and digital displays at transit stops to maximise travel efficiency.
• Umo MaaS: A marketplace that brings together public and private mobility operators and provides connected journey options that are tailored to the preference of the traveller.
(Picture – Umo website, Cubic TS)
