LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Metro riders may soon be able to pay for their trips through a smartphone app, with the Cubic Corp. announcing today it has been awarded a contract with the transit agency to develop the device.

Cubic is the company that designed and developed Metro’s TAP card system, but riders using the app after it is developed should have the option to forgo the card while gaining other perks through the mobile app, which is expected to be available sometime in 2018.

“We’re thrilled to grow our partnership with Metro by collaborating on these innovations for the TAP program to provide improved and more convenient services for our customers,” said Matt Cole, president of Cubic Transit Systems, a division of the Cubic Corp. “We look forward to continuing working with Metro’s TAP team to drive shared mobility initiatives across the Los Angeles region.”

Riders will be able to use the app to pay for rides on buses and trains operated by the 24 transit agencies that accept TAP cards. The app could also potentially be used for Metro’s new bike sharing system as well as Metro’s “microtransit” ride sharing program that the transit agency is considering launching.

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