Perhaps the most exciting interpretation of Cubic's Umo "MaaS platform" announcement is that they are under pressure to improve user experience/integration points as publicly operated open loop alternatives like @california_itp gain traction.

Fortunately a move to a true open loop (bank card backed) fare system enables public agencies to cut ties with, or reduce the footprint of vertically integrated fare vendors like Cubic.

The account-based systems these legacy vendors operate don't make sense in a modern banking system and have been tremendous impediment to innovation in customer experience and transit policy.

There's are few other goods/services we buy that require a special banking intermediary, and no reason that should continue to be the case for transit. Existence of intermediaries is a sign of a market failure/capture, not a foot hold for innovation.

Unfortunately that lack of innovation has undermined transit modernization for decades, and created an opening for new intermediaries like Uber to enter the market offering wraparound fare/customer-facing services for transit agencies.

A better model is to make customer facing information and payment integration as ubiquitous as possible, not just for transit but any publicly available mobility service.

The challenge at the core of this work: too much focus on technology (apps/platforms) and too little focus on making markets for services (public and private) more transparent/competitive/easier to use.