Auckland Transport has terminated its agreement with Snapper, after the French firm was unable to meet timeframes.

Snapper had agreed to have its equipment compliant with the integrated ticketing system by November 30.

But Snapper – which won the major contract to supply the Auckland Transport integrated ticketing system for HOP cards and readers – could not meet that deadline.

Auckland Transport chief executive David Warburton this afternoon announced the termination, and said Auckland Transport had made a commitment with Thales to deliver an alternative solution.

“HOP/Snapper card users on NZ Bus services will continue to use their current cards until their cards will be swapped out for free next year. The new cards will be known as AT/HOP cards,” he said.

AT/HOP will be available on trains and ferries over the next two months, with rail introduced on October 28 and ferry by November 30.

Bus rollout will commence from April next year.

Just one thing New Zealand Herald, Snapper is NZ while Thales is French. Snapper being terminated or rather fried it should read:

Auckland Transport has terminated its agreement with Snapper, after the New Zealand subsidiary to Infratil was unable to meet timeframes.

In any case that took long enough and for me personally it is vindication after my first commentary on it in February.

This is a quick recap from my first commentary to my most recent up until today on Snapper

A STINK THAT IS PONGING AUCKLAND PUBLIC TRANSPORT

STOP PRESS UPDATE

SNAPPER

FRYING SNAPPER WHILE EATING SCRAMBLED EGGS

And finally this post on Snapper getting finally fried.

May Auckland move on with the Thales system with no further hindrance.