KEY STATS
- O
ver 1 billion transactions
processed on Ventra
- Over 5 million active Ventra accounts
- 6.7 million Ventra cards issued
- App sales at 22% of all
Ventra sales, including
Metra
- $76 million; 3.2 million
transactions in Ventra
mobile app sales
CASE STUDY:
Chicago – Account-Based Open Payment and Loving It
PROBLEM:
The Chicago
Transit Authority faced a dilemma
with its 20-year-old fare payment
system. Not only did obsolescence
issues make it difficult and costly
to maintain, the aging system
didn’t have the technology to meet
legislative requirements unifying the
region’s three major agencies on a
single system by 2015.
SOLUTION:
Cubic was
awarded a 12-year contract to
design, build, operate and maintain
Ventra, Chicago’s new regional fare
payment system based on Cubic’s
account-based open payment
technology.
Chicago is a classic U.S. destination – from trademark foods and restaurants
to clubs that have launched many a famous comedian or musician, to diverse
architecture fronting the Chicago River, to unique ethnic blends and cultural
neighborhoods. Chicago also is home to the second-largest public transit system
in the U.S., covering the city and 35 neighboring communities. On an average
weekday, 1.6 million rides are taken on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the
region’s major public transit provider of rail and bus service.
In addition to CTA, regional transit services are also provided by partner agencies
Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus, both of which connect with CTA
bus and rail in numerous locations throughout the area.
Forward-thinking and revolutionary strategy
In 2009 the CTA went out to bid to upgrade its current fare collection system
to an Open Standards Fare System. The goal was to introduce a future-proof
system that would enhance the customer experience with new payment options
including contactless bankcards and, eventually, compatible mobile phones.
In 2011 Cubic was selected to deliver a self-financed public-private partnership
offering, as well as its account-based solution for open payment.
In the fall of 2013, the CTA, Pace and Cubic rolled out Ventra. Built using Cubic
Back Office which features Account-Based Transaction Processing, Ventra is an
open-payment system for which the CTA issues the Ventra-branded card that
includes a transit account customers can manage online.
While traditional card-based systems keep the passenger data and stored value
on the card to interact with “smart” devices, with Account-based Transaction
Processing this is moved to the back office, along with fare policy, fare products
and fare pricing. Cubic Back Office makes it easier for agencies to manage
changes instead of sending updates downstream to all readers in the system
Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc.
CASE STUDY | CHICAGO
CASE STUDY:
Chicago – AccountBased Open Payment
and Loving It
infrastructure. The system, like Ventra, also delivers valuable data for the
agencies to gain a regional overview for understanding travel patterns and other
insights that enhance the delivery of transit services.
With an account-based system like Ventra, customers have the ability to fund and
manage their transit account online through the agency’s website, where they can
take advantage of discounted fare products such as seniors, disabled, military
or students. The system’s open payment functionality also gives customers
the convenience and freedom to “tap and go” for travel using the contactless
bankcards already in their wallets. In addition to bankcard “tap and go,” Ventra
supports mobile payment technology through Apple Pay, Google Pay and
Samsung Pay.
Regional unification – the Ventra mobile app
With Illinois state law requiring CTA, Pace and Metra to adopt a universal fare
system by 2015, Metra needed a way to transition from a paper-based system
and provide its riders who otherwise couldn’t participate in the original Ventra
account-based contactless smart card system the ability to do so. However,
because Metra is a proof-of-payment system relying on ticket inspection by a
conductor, this posed a challenge. In partnership with Cubic, CTA, Metra and
Pace moved forward with the logical next step – creating an app that essentially
puts Ventra and Metra vending machines in their customers’ hands.
The CTA was awarded
the 2016 American
Public Transportation
Association’s Innovation
Award for distinguished
innovation among North
American transit systems
for the Ventra transit app.
The Ventra mobile app – rolled out in November 2015 – allows riders of the three
regional agencies to meet their ticketing needs with ease and convenience.
Travelers have a one-stop app for managing their trips, making payments, and
receiving real-time alerts across all public transit services in the Chicago region.
Ventra customers can use the app to add value to and manage their account
including ordering and registering a Ventra card, checking balances and
managing payment and auto load. The app has reduced costs associated with
customer help calls and other costs including distribution of paper or plastic fare
media.
In future phases, new features will include a regional trip planner, mobile wallet
integration and the ability to load a virtual Ventra card on an NFC mobile phone.
With the virtual Ventra card, riders will be able to simply tap their mobile devices
at CTA rail turnstiles and as they board CTA and Pace buses to pay Ventra fares,
making their phone a universal payment tool.
Servicing Ventra system
Cubic provides customer-facing, management and operational services for
the CTA that has enabled the agency to meet its goals of modernizing the fare
payment system and maximizing convenience and account security for its
customers.
Cubic Services for Ventra include:
Support Services
-Customer contact
-Sales channel management
Financial Services
-Revenue management services
-Accounting services
IT Operation Services
-System operations
-Hosting
-Security management
Asset Management
-Field maintenance
-Device support
-Spares and life cycle management
Professional Services
-Data analytics
-Community outreach
and education
About Cubic Transportation Systems - Intelligent Travel Made Real
We are a leading integrator of payment and information solutions and related services for intelligent travel applications. Cubic (www.cubic.com/Transportation) delivers
integrated systems for transportation and traffic management, delivering tools for travelers to choose the smartest and easiest way to travel and pay for their journeys,
and enabling transportation authorities and agencies to manage demand across the entire transportation network – all in real-time.
Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc.
World Headquarters
5650 Kearny Mesa Road
San Diego, CA 92111
Telephone: +1-858-268-3100
cubic.com/transportation
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