In what is sure to be music to the ears of Victorian commuters, it has just been confirmed that the much-maligned Myki system will be undergoing a complete overhaul, with Conduent Business Services awarded a $1.7 billion, 15-year contract that will commence at the end of the year.
The US-based service provider will take over from NTT Data, which has run the system since 2007 and faced many ongoing challenges, including issues surrounding a lack of ease when topping up (especially on buses and trams), card expiration and next to no feasible options if you leave your card at home.
“This is a very important moment for Victoria and public transport. For the past 16 years we have had a card-based ticketing system under Myki,” said public transport minister Ben Carroll. “We will now reach the 21st century, with account-based ticketing [that is] simpler and easier to use through your credit card, through your smartphone and through your smartwatch.”
The upgraded features are expected to roll out across Victoria’s public transport system (including V-Line regional services) over a two-year period, and will allow commuters to touch on and off using bank cards or smartphones and smartwatches with digital wallets. While Android users have been able to access a mobile version of Myki since 2021, this has not been an option for Apple users, despite the Victorian government allocating $1 million to develop this feature back in 2019.
Tourists will also no longer need an account to travel on public transport, and the physical cards (which cost $6 to purchase) will be phased out. Commuters in New South Wales have been able to use bank cards to travel since 2018, while tap and pay has been available on trams and buses in Adelaide since 2020.
Conduent Business Services oversees roughly 400 public transport ticketing systems in major cities like Paris, Montreal, Dubai, Adelaide and New Jersey. The decision to switch operators will not result in a name change, with the Myki moniker to remain as it boasts strong brand awareness.