_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Main interview
Alongside these successes , can you share any losses ? I think everyone in the transportation sector and beyond was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic , which led to catastrophic loss of life while stopping transit in its tracks for months on end . While passenger numbers have bounced back , journey patterns have shifted significantly , which means we have to continue to innovate . For example , one customer told me that although rider numbers have rebounded , there are barely any passengers on Fridays and the weekends are now at highs in terms of ridership . That means rethinking and re-incentivizing transit and ticketing .
Meeting customers around the world and hearing their stories is one of the most rewarding parts of the job
What are today ’ s priorities for transport and mobility solutions ? Making purchasing a ticket as unbelievably simple as buying a pack of chewing gum is step number one . We don ’ t want passengers to worry about how complex the system is , as anyone who has tried to buy a train ticket in some parts of the UK could tell you . Instead , we want them focused on intuitive , seamless engagement with transparent and fair pricing across all modes of transportation . Another key priority is making sure we have transportation infrastructure that is financially inclusive and socially equitable . allocations and harmonizing different operators with different rules to create a uniform regional and national mobility strategy . It ’ s not necessarily a technical problem , rather more of a policy and governance evolution as the world becomes more connected . The other big challenge is integrating technology and innovation into the transit experience . That means making mobile technology the primary user interface to mobility scheduling , routing and fare settlement across all modes of transit .
What should be top of the agenda for the future of transport ? For Cubic , the important thing is to enable flexible payment options so commuters can make transactions in the way they want in an equitable way . In a broader sense , I think climate action is clearly top of mind for industry professionals . We need to rethink all forms of transport and make public transport a more attractive and affordable option than driving a car so we can drive down emissions . We also need to continue to electrify as much of the public transit fleet as possible for lower carbon , less pollution and improved public health .
Is there anything else you ’ d like to add ? The industry is at an inflection point and , as market leader , we have an opportunity to co-create the future with our customers and their passengers , which makes us incredibly excited . Our technology is designed to enable financial inclusion and social equity , meaning everyone has access to the transportation they need and can participate in the economy . ■
What are the biggest challenges facing the sector and how do you advise these can be addressed ? For many jurisdictions , there is a governance challenge when it comes to funding , capital
Peter Torrellas www . cubic . com tlimagazine . com 9