The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) has launched an app that lets passengers earn loyalty points that they can then exchange for free travel when they view or interact with personalised ads.

The Go Miami-Dade Transit app uses a new digital loyalty currency developed by Cubic to let travellers collect Stars points and then convert them into “transit value” that they can use to subsidise or pay for transit rides — or redeem “for various in-app offers”.

The app also provides real-time information on bus, train and Metromover services, a trip-planning service, details of nearby stops and stations, support for mobile passes, transit fare information and service updates.

Stars is part of Cubic Interactive, a new platform that lets transit operators add both advertising and customer loyalty programmes to their mobile apps to “help shift peak transit patterns, ease the pressure on the transit network and promote smarter and healthier mobility choices”.

It also enables agencies to generate a secondary revenue stream “by monetizing not only their mobile apps, but also transit infrastructure including gates, ticket vending machines and other previously under-utilized physical assets”.

The first brand to sign up to make use of the platform is herbal cough drop and breath mint maker Ricola.

“The program is a great way to incentivize our current riders, [and] invite new ones to give transit a try,” says Alice N Bravo, director of transportation and public works at Miami-Dade County.

“It provides the building blocks that will help us increase the use of transit to reduce congestion.”

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