Cubic Transportation Systems will be upgrading the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) TAP universal fare collection system to provide a Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA DSS) certified application as well as extensive system-wide hardware and software upgrades. The $9 million contract is an add-on to the original Universal Fare System (UFS) awarded to Cubic in 2002 to deliver the TAP system.
The initiative will support new payment applications and Metro's resulting enhanced security and certification with Payment Card Industry (PCI) 3.0 Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), providing a high level of security for Metro’s patrons purchasing fares with credit and debit cards.
PCI DSS is a set of requirements to ensure all organizations maintain a secure payment environment. Because Metro’s TAP system is more than 10 years old, the contract provides for a major upgrade to Cubic’s NextFare Central System software. Cubic will also be providing its PA DSS certified Cubic Payment Application (CPA), a secure card payment processing gateway, as well as an interface to Metro’s bank of choice, Bank of America.
The agreement also includes Cubic-supplied upgrades to software, computers and Tri-Reader card readers in more than 400 ticket vending machines and other hardware devices that support software downloads. More than 20 servers will be replaced to ensure continued reliability and enhanced security with the latest credit/debit processing applications and standards.
Cubic’s CPA is architected to provide optimum performance for securely processing legacy closed-loop payments (such as agency issued transit smart cards) as well as emerging forms of payment including open-loop (bank-issued contactless cards), mobile and EMV payments.
TAP is the largest smart card system in North America and currently supports six rail lines, 80 stations and over 4,000 buses regionally. Cubic maintains and supports more than 2,000 devices under its service contract. The network now extends to 14 municipal operators with the most recent additions of Long Beach Transit (June 2014) and Pasadena (August 2014), and 13 additional agencies are expected to be added by the end of the year. Metro ridership for 2014 will reach approximately 470 million per year with revenue around $340 million.
“Today, merchants accepting credit and debit cards are required by their acquiring banks to comply with PCI DSS,” said Janet Koenig, Cubic Transportation Systems’ director of Central Systems. “CPA 3.0 provides a secure payment gateway directly to merchant acquiring banks or other financial institutions. We are happy to assist LA Metro with their needs in fostering a secure payment environment.”
