Masabi buys Passenger to build joined-up mobility tech

Masabi has acquired Passenger Technology Group, adding passenger information and digital ticketing products to its fare collection business as consolidation continues in the mobility technology sector.

The deal combines Masabi's fare collection, payments and back-office platform, Justride, with Passenger's white-label mobile apps, websites and real-time information tools used by public transport authorities and operators in the UK. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Both companies sell software to public transport agencies and operators to replace older ticketing systems. Together, they now cover more of the customer journey, from journey planning and service information to ticketing and payment.

The acquisition also reflects a wider shift among transport technology suppliers toward integrated platforms that span journey planning, ticketing, payments and passenger communications. Buyers are increasingly asking suppliers to connect these systems through APIs and existing integrations, rather than running separate products with limited data sharing.

Product overlap

Masabi is best known for mobile ticketing and account-based ticketing. Its Justride platform also supports open payments and is used by more than 200 agencies and operators across eight countries.

Passenger provides digital customer experience products for public transport, including mobile ticketing apps, passenger information apps and websites. It works with around 100 public transport authorities and operators in the UK and handles more than 100 million journey plans a year on behalf of clients.

The combination strengthens Masabi's customer-facing information and communications capabilities and gives Passenger a larger international channel for products that have largely been deployed in the UK to date.

Masabi plans to showcase products from both businesses at Transport Ticketing Global in London in March.

Integration plans

The companies expect closer integration between their products. Masabi said the combined teams will focus on deeper integration, expanded functionality and support, and the development of new products. Existing customers will continue to receive service, it added.

The deal also reflects changing procurement priorities among transport authorities. Many are moving to cloud-based systems and seeking clearer links between payment, ticketing, real-time information and customer support. Operators have also put more emphasis on mobile channels as passenger expectations for up-to-date travel information have evolved.

Masabi described the acquisition as a step toward a more connected platform model that links planning, payment, and travel with live updates. Passenger said the deal will help it expand internationally while maintaining its UK customer base.

Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi, said Passenger's digital products support Masabi's broader strategy.

"Passenger has cultivated an excellent reputation for delivering intuitive, high-quality digital experiences that put customers first. By combining Passenger with Masabi's offerings, we will accelerate our vision of a fully connected, cloud-based mobility platform that can serve both operators and passengers worldwide. This acquisition enhances our ability to support cities and transport authorities and operators as they modernize and move toward more seamless, data-driven mobility systems."

Tom Quay, CEO of Passenger Technology Group, said the two companies share priorities around product development and service reliability.

"This deal is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Passenger. Masabi is a company that shares our focus on innovation, reliability, and improving public transport for both operators/authorities and passengers. Joining the global SaaS fare collection leader gives us the opportunity to scale our technology and bring the Passenger customer experience platform to new markets, while continuing to serve existing clients with the same commitment and agility they have come to expect."

In the near term, customers will watch how quickly the combined company can connect real-time information and journey planning with ticketing and payment flows. Authorities and operators have often managed these functions through different suppliers, each with its own roadmap and data model.

Masabi said the combined product set will cover mobile ticketing, account-based ticketing, open payments, and passenger-facing digital channels. It added that work will focus on integration and product development while maintaining existing services for current clients.