Our association with the MTA started when they were a sprightly 75 years. That is when we first partnered with the MTA to deliver the DriveCard and we have since grown the relationship to include our whole suite of cards.

Our relationship with the MTA has been built on a solid foundation of service to our shared customers. Thanks to the support of our MTA partners we now have almost 100,000 card customers in New Zealand. In return for this support, MTA members get preferential merchant service rates on our cards and special access to these customers, which include some of New Zealand's most influential companies.

Cardlink's relationship with the MTA continues to be rewarding for both parties with Cardlink cardholders responsible for over $11M in turnover at MTA members last month.

The value of the card relationship was greatly increased with the growth of FleetSmart, our Fleet Management product. FleetSmart now manages over 13,000 vehicles. Our success in providing effective and trusted fleet management is due, in no small part, to the commitment and service that our MTA partners offer to our customers.

Looking back there have been some interesting times. When we started, almost all transactions were captured on manual zip-zaps. The receipts were then posted to Auckland, where we had dozens of data entry staff, keying in the charges many of which were illegible. Now, less than 1% of all transactions are manual - the vast majority arriving via the banking system's electronic payment network without a hitch.

Furthermore, during our 15 years with the MTA, we have had to deal with the effects of fuel price fluctuations and the resulting positive awareness in environmentally sensitive vehicle options. Our own product, EcoFleet, serves to benchmark a fleet operators' eco-footprint and provide guidance regarding the continuing reduction in the size of that footprint

Together, we have stayed ahead of the trends and, in our own small way, we hope to have helped deliver to MTA members an effective and rewarding partnership

We look forward to being a partner during MTA's next 90 years dealing with the next generation of vehicles and fuels. Our original agreement had in typed italics (as we did not have word processing back then):

"MTA is pleased to be associated with Cardlink Systems Limited in developing and promoting the use of the Cards."

15 years later, and in the MTA's 90th year, we echo that sentiment. Our Fleet, Dual and Drive cards carry the MTA's brand beside ours and we take pride in the association.

We look forward to future developments and congratulate the MTA's management for keeping such a distinguished organisation up-to-date and relevant.