Cubic Corporation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cubic Corporation

Type	Private
Industry	Public transport and defense
Founded	1949
Founder	Walter J. Zable
Headquarters	San Diego, California, U.S.
Key people	Stevan Slijepcevic (president, CEO)
Owner	Veritas Capital Elliott Management
Number of employees	6,200 (2020)
Divisions	Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions Cubic Transportation Systems

Cubic Corporation is a big American company. It makes things for public transportation, like buses and trains. It also creates equipment for defense, which means for military use. The company has two main parts: Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) and Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions (CMPS).

Cubic's Story: From 1949 to Today

Cubic Corporation started in 1949 in San Diego, California. It was founded by Walter J. Zable as an electronics company. Mr. Zable wanted the name "Cubic" to show that the company was about engineering and being very precise.

Early Days and Growth

Cubic's first product was a special device called a calorimetric wattmeter. This device was used to measure microwave output. In 1959, Cubic became a company whose shares could be bought and sold by the public.

In 1969, Cubic bought United States Elevator Corporation. This company made elevators for both people and cargo. By 2020, Cubic had about 6,200 employees around the world. Stevan Slijepcevic became the president and CEO of Cubic Corporation in January 2022.

Becoming a Private Company

In May 2021, Cubic announced a big change. It was sold to two private investment companies, Veritas Capital and Elliott Management. This meant Cubic was no longer a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. Instead, it became a private company.

Working with Governments

In June 2023, Cubic sent a letter to the government of Victoria, Australia. They asked them to look again at how a contract for their Myki public transport system was given out. Cubic believed their offer was much cheaper than the winning one.

In March 2025, the People's Republic of China announced actions against 10 U.S. military companies. Cubic was one of them. This was because these companies had been involved in selling military equipment to Taiwan.

What Cubic's Divisions Do

Cubic has two main operating parts, each with a special job.

Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions

This part of Cubic helps with defense and security. It provides advanced communication and intelligence systems. These systems are used for military missions and security tasks. They also create realistic training systems for soldiers. This helps them prepare for real-life situations.

Cubic Transportation Systems

Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) focuses on public transport. It designs and builds systems that collect fares automatically. This includes things like ticket machines, smart card readers, and gates at train stations. CTS also handles the computer systems that process payments and manage money. They are the biggest company in the world for public transport fare collection services. CTS was founded on May 5, 1972.

Cubic Defence New Zealand

This company, previously called OSCMAR International Limited, is part of Cubic. It makes training and simulation systems for military forces. It is located in Auckland, New Zealand.

Cubic's Products and Services

Cubic Transportation Systems offers many products and services to make public transport easier.

Cubic smartcard gates on Sydney Metro

Ticketing and Payment Systems

• Ticket machines: These are where you buy your tickets.
• Smartcard readers: These read your smart cards when you tap them.
• Fare-collection gates: These are the gates you go through at stations.
• Full-service mobility platform:
  • Umo is a special platform that connects different ways to travel. It helps public transport work better.
  • Umo helps riders move easily by offering journey planning and contactless payments. It also gives real-time travel information and rewards through the Umo Mobility App.
• Revenue management back office: This is the computer system that handles all the money from tickets.
  • Card-based systems: These use physical cards.
  • Account-based systems: Examples include New York's OMNY and London's Oyster Cards. Your money is linked to an account, not just the card.
  • Mobile payments: Cubic was one of the first to let people use their phones to pay for transit.

Support and Management Services

• Transit customer support: Helping passengers with their questions.
• Management services: Helping transit agencies run their systems.
• Real-time passenger information: Showing you when your bus or train will arrive.
• Operational planning assistance: Helping plan how transport systems run.
• Traffic management: Helping control traffic flow on roads. Cubic works with transport agencies in the UK and Australia.
• Predictive analytics: Using data to guess what might happen in the future, like traffic jams.
• Tolling: Creating systems for paying tolls on roads.
• Operational IT services: Managing the computer systems for transport.
• Asset management services: Taking care of equipment, like fixing machines and supplying parts.

Smart Traffic Solutions

• GRIDSMART: Cubic bought GRIDSMART in 2019. This technology uses cameras at intersections. It uses advanced computer vision to watch traffic, bikes, and people. This helps make traffic flow better. GRIDSMART is used at about 12,000 intersections.
• Trafficware: Cubic also bought Trafficware in 2018. This company also helps manage traffic.

Major Projects Around the World

Cubic Transportation Systems has completed over 400 projects. These projects are in 40 different markets across five continents. Cubic first used mobile ticketing in 2006. They offer many ways to pay, including mobile tickets, smart cards, and traditional fare collection. The Umo Mobility Platform was launched in January 2021. Cubic manages about 70% of the world's smart transit cards. They process more than 24 billion transactions every year.

MBTA Fare Transformation

In 2017, Cubic was chosen to update the fare collection systems for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This project, called "Fare Transformation," was planned to be finished by May 2021. However, the cost increased, and the completion date was moved to 2024. In February 2023, the MBTA said it was unlikely to meet the 2024 deadline.

New Zealand's National Ticketing Solution

In October 2022, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi signed a contract with Cubic. This was for a new National Ticketing Solution called Motu Move. This system will let people use one fare card for public transport all over New Zealand.

Fare Collection Projects by Cubic

Other Companies Under Cubic

Cubic also owns several other companies that work on different technologies.

• DTECH Labs: This company makes communication products. These are used by the military, government, and first responders.
• TeraLogics: This company provides real-time video processing for defense and intelligence. It is based in Ashburn, Virginia.
• GATR Technologies: This company makes portable, inflatable satellite communication systems. These are used for communication in tough or remote places.
• Vocality: This company creates technology that helps different communication systems work together. This allows businesses, governments, and military groups to communicate securely.
• PIXIA Corp.: This company helps manage imagery and pictures.