The Netflix of travel? Cubic launches new transit tech subscription Umo

Umo App and Umo Pass will make life easier for travellers in cities big and small.

Cubic has announced the launch of Umo, a fully integrated suite of platforms for riders, transit agencies and mobility service providers available as a subscription service. The new package of products will be available under one roof, similar to other subscription services such as Netflix or Office 365, according to those behind it.

Cubic says 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 transit and access real-time information to optimise their mobility experience.

Umo simplifies travel by integrating all of a region’s transportation options, from buses, trains, trams and ferries to ride-share, scooters and bikes, in one place. Perhaps most importantly, Umo’s scalable platform-based approach is designed to benefit agencies of all sizes from the smallest bus operator to larger towns and cities.

Within the suite of products is a travel app, a MaaS platform, a pass system designed to unify different transport authority fares in one location, Umo Rewards (a loyalty scheme), plus a metrics platform in Umo IQ. Crucially, Cubic says all of these products can be provided in a branded form, or as “white label”, which would perhaps benefit bigger operators such as London’s TfL or New York’s MTA, which might want to retain some continuity with the new systems.

“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.”