Revolutionizing public transportation through more simplified payments is a core mission of Kuba. We have close working relationships with a number of transit agencies in the U.S., cultivating partnerships rather than traditional vendor-customer relationships. It’s more than simply providing a service; we work collaboratively to support our mutual objectives.

The GoPass® app, launched with our first North American customer Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in 2013, is a groundbreaking example of this approach. It was the first mobile transit app solution in the United States to involve multiple agencies and various forms of transportation, including first/last-mile and microtransit options.

DART services (including Light Rail, Trinity Railway Express commuter rail, bus routes and paratransit) move more than 220,000 passengers per day across a 700-square-mile service area – and the app simplified payment, planning and booking for services. In its first month of operation, its passenger appeal was clear, with the app being downloaded 35,000 times.

The GoPass® app also utilizes our platform’s multi-agency functionalities. Today, it serves the riders of nine agencies in North America. Adoption of the GoPass app has climbed, with over 1.7 million downloads to date and 136,000 monthly active users. It continues to meet riders’ needs and has consistently achieved a strong 4.8/5 ranking in the iOS App and Google Play stores.

One of our most significant achievements was when DART won the APTA Innovation Award in 2019. Kuba developed the technology to enable DART to reach the goals of their FTA-funded Mobility on Demand project. The award recognized the impact of our seamless integration of on-demand services into traditional fixed-route planning and payment. It’s a validation of our innovative approach and the value we bring to the industry.

External partnerships are integral to the success of GoPass®

The growth and popularity of GoPass depends on its ability to evolve. Kuba and DART have built a number of integrations over the years, which have been instrumental to its continued success. Thanks to a number of key partnerships, the app is now capable of unifying journey planning, and booking and payments for public transit, microtransit and paratransit services.

5 key partnership innovations

1. We collaborated with Spare Labs on the Mobility on Demand project to find the technical solution to provide DART’s on-demand service, GoLink, which uses a variety of fleets and providers including agency vehicles, taxis and Uber to deliver curb-to-curb service within a designated zone.
2. We realized our goal of developing GoPass® to become a MaaS platform by teaming up with RideCo. By supporting multiple providers from the same platform, the app now gives agencies a choice of integrations. The expansion of microtransit into paratransit benefits a much wider community, demonstrating the social impact of our partnerships.
3. One of the biggest issues for riders is safety on public transit. Following an integration with Elerts, which provides See Something Say Something solutions to transit agencies, we made the service more visible on the GoPass® app’s home screen. This simple change resulted in a huge increase in reports, significantly improving riders’ safety. In December 2023, DART received over 1,600 See Say reports, 50% of which were sent by GoPass® users. Issues reported included disruptive behavior, assault, crime in progress, service issues, and vandalism.
4. With the cash retail network partner Incomm, we ensure that unbanked and low-income riders can benefit from the GoPass® app by loading cash into the app and using it to purchase passes.
5. We work with Vix Technology, a sister company of Kuba’s and fellow member of the ICM Mobility Group. Kuba and Vix share DART as a customer and various projects have benefited from our close collaboration. Together, we have empowered riders to associate their GoPass® tap card with their GoPass® app and use it to pay for GoLink rides. This allowed DART to stop accepting cash for GoLink and transition to full digital payments.

Kuba’s ambition is to make a real impact by making transportation more accessible and shifting people towards shared public transport solutions, away from single-occupancy vehicles. Together with our valued partners, we’re committed to making it easier for users to plan, book, and pay for their end-to-end journeys using both public and shared transportation. Our work is not just about technology but about innovating to create a greener, more sustainable, and equitable future of mobility.

Explore a partnership with Kuba today – get in touch.