Tag Archives for: Q-Free

Mark Talbot Joins Q-Free as Executive Chair

April 22, 2024

 

 

 

Mark Talbot Joins Q-Free as Executive Chair

 

 

  • Talbot will lead a team of 370 people in 15 countries and is fully committed to continuing Q-Free’s growth trajectory in the smart mobility market.
  • He brings extensive global ITS leadership and a track record of innovation and customer-focused strategies to the position.

 

 

Trondheim, Norway – Q-Free, a global leader in mobility solutions for smart city infrastructure, announced today that Mark Talbot joined the company as Executive Chair, effective April 2, 2024. He will lead the company, overseeing all aspects of day-to-day operations, innovation, sales, marketing, growth, and long-term vision. Talbot brings global leadership experience, steering Q-Free at an important time for the company as it recently transitioned to private ownership.

Building on Success

As a transportation technology and smart mobility leader for more than 25 years, Talbot has witnessed Q-Free’s growth in size and influence. One of his main priorities will be to build on that growth moving forward. “I couldn’t be more excited. What I admire most about the company is the fact it has maintained its position as a market leader for over 40 years; consistently developing and deploying innovative solutions for intelligent transportation and smart mobility,” he said. “Our clients want to partner with companies that have a history of performance delivering high value solutions to address their long-standing transportation challenges. Q-Free is positioned to deliver technology-driven solutions, improving mobility for everyone well into the future.”

The company has a major presence in the United States, Europe and the Asia/Pacific region, employing approximately 370 people in 15 countries. In 2024, Q-Free is celebrating its fortieth anniversary.

A Perfect Fit

This is not Talbot’s first time at the helm of a major, global ITS company. As Managing Director and Group CEO of Redflex Holdings Limited from 2017 to 2021, he led a company with operations throughout the Asia Pacific region, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. “I thoroughly enjoy working with clients to deliver solutions addressing their most intractable problems,” he said. “Ensuring safe and efficient mobility improves the livability of a community and drives broad economic growth. I look forward to working with the team of professionals at Q-Free who for over 40 years, have developed leading technology and provided the highest levels of service to drive value for their clients and stakeholders.”

Before joining Redflex, Talbot served as the General Manager of State and Local Solutions of Conduent (formerly Xerox). He also worked nine years in Xerox’s Transportation Segment, rising to Group President, Americas, directing a portfolio of transportation-related businesses.

Talbot holds a Bachelor of Science from Catholic University of America and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

About Q-Free

Q-Free is a global leader in intelligent transportation systems, spearheading innovative solutions for tolling, traffic management, and active transportation. Embracing innovation and harnessing the power of technology, we address daily mobility challenges, shaping a future where people, goods, and data travel safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

With a four-decade legacy, Q-Free’s vision extends beyond geographical boundaries, serving customers worldwide in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

To learn more about how Q-Free is shaping the future of intelligent transportation, visit www.q-free.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Q-Free sells parking division to concentrate on core business lines

May 04, 2021

 

 

 

Q-Free sells parking division to concentrate on core business lines

 

 

The divestiture allows Q-Free to focus on traffic management and tolling while maintaining a collaborative partnership with the new owner.

 

 

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 4, 2021 – Q-Free (OSE: QFR), a global leader in mobility solutions for smart city infrastructure, today announced the sale of its parking division to the unit’s executive vice president, Dave Radford.

Morten Andersson, Q-Free’s senior executive vice president of traffic management, says the sale will benefit all stakeholders. “At the company’s heart, Q-Free is an ATMS and tolling innovator and solution provider, and while we are extremely proud of the parking team’s accomplishments, this agreement will allow both entities to thrive,” he said. “We are thrilled that Dave is the new owner. He’s a terrific leader and we’ve already discussed how we can collaborate for the benefit of both companies, and most importantly, our customers.”

The new company will be branded TCS International Inc. and Radford promises it will continue to build on successes, innovation and customer service established under Q-Free. “We are excited to grow our company with a single-minded focus that amplifies our place in the parking market,” he said. “Reliable parking availability, directions and booking has become an expectation as drivers become more sophisticated. We see that trajectory continuing and TCS International will be there with the right solution whenever there’s a need.”

The sale was finalized March 31, 2021 when Radford and the TCS International team assumed all operations. Existing Q-Free Parking team members will transition to the new company which will be headquartered in Massachusetts, USA.

About Q-Free

Q-Free ASA (OSE: QFR) is a global innovator in intelligent transportation systems that improve traffic flow, road safety, and air quality. With an open, collaborative approach to tolling, traffic and active transportation management, Q-Free works with customers and partners on every continent to digitize infrastructure and overcome modern mobility challenges for the greater good of society.

Headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, Q-Free has annual revenues of approximately 1 billion NOK (100 million USD) and employs about 360 transportation innovators, experts and enthusiasts. To learn more about how Q-Free is changing the movements of life, visit www.q-free.com.

 

UBIPARK TAKES SMART PARKING TO NORTH AMERICA

December 04, 2020

 

UBIPARK TAKES SMART PARKING TO NORTH AMERICA

 

 

Pushing forward with their mission to bring smarter, safer, and more sustainable parking to the world, UbiPark has today announced the expansion of its smart parking solutions into the US and Canadian markets.

Working with Q-Free TCS as a distributor across the United States and Canada, this move into the North American market follows a year of rapid growth for the smart parking provider, across Australia and New Zealand. Following the disruption caused by the pandemic, businesses, governments, and motorists have an increased need to find safer ways to go about daily life, and contactless parking has an important role to play.

Launched in December 2015, UbiPark allows motorists to quickly identify and secure the best available off-street parking. UbiPark’s unique technology provides detailed information for motorists, everything from the number of vacant bays, pricing, and applicable restrictions, allowing operators to provide a more seamless, contactless experience.

The distribution partnership with Q-Free TCS is an exciting milestone for UbiPark and a testament to the company’s technology and the solutions it provides to motorists and parking providers alike. UbiPark Founder and CEO, Mosstyn Howell believes the US expansion showcases the quality of the product and highlights that parking remains a pain point for motorists around the world.

“We pride ourselves on providing exciting new parking technologies to save motorists time and money when looking for parking,” said Howell. “As we continue to rely on technology more and more in our day to day lives, mainstream parking needs to keep up. UbiPark is taking this technology and reinventing the way car parks work for the everyday motorist.”

“The distribution deal with Q-Free TCS is an exciting one for UbiPark and the team is proud to be working alongside such an innovative company to roll out into the US and Canada. The team’s network and contacts will no doubt help propel the UbiPark technology forward,” continued Howell.

Acting as the distributor of UbiPark throughout the US & Canada, Q-Free TCS offers a range of software solutions covering parking, tolling, and traffic management. Q-Free TCS currently provides parking solutions across the US and Canada to large-scale employers including; universities, hospitals, casinos, airports, and shopping malls. The partnership will initially roll out this month across both the US and Canada and will see UbiPark technology rolled into parking centers. UbiPark’s technology will allow operators to provide safer, contactless payment options for motorists amidst COVID-19 as well as a more seamless payment system. This will continue to be an important element of smart city living, as we aim to get back to work, school, and daily life in COVID safe ways.

Q-Free TCS President Dave Radford said, “We’re thrilled to be working with such an exciting brand like UbiPark. Parking guidance solutions are gaining popularity across a range of industries and no doubt UbiPark’s technology will alleviate many of the parking pains motorists face every day”.

Via Q-Free TCS, UbiPark’s technology will start to be rolled out from this month across various locations in the US and Canada. For more information on UbiPark visit https://ubipark.com/ and for Q-Free TCS visit https://www.q-free.com/parking/.

Q-Free to Ease Parking Woes Using Real-Time Data in Sparks, Nevada

March 26, 2020

 

Q-Free to Ease Parking Woes Using Real-Time Data in Sparks, Nevada

 

 

Parking guidance system to manage complex and diverse parking in historic Victorian Square.

 

 

SPARKS, Nevada, March 24, 2020 – Q-Free (OSE: QFR), a global leader in mobility solutions for smart city infrastructure, announced it will deploy a comprehensive parking guidance system (PGS) at the Victorian Square parking garage in Sparks, Nevada. The system will provide real-time information on available spaces, making it easier for drivers to find parking. It will also allow the city to post parking availability information through an app or website, further enabling drivers to better plan their parking in the city.

The four-level Victorian Square parking garage contains 750 parking spaces in the heart of Sparks’ dining, theater, and casino district. Space availability will be monitored using Q-Free’s USDS Parking Sensor. These reliable, ultrasonic directional sensors don’t require cutting into the infrastructure, thus reducing installation costs. In addition, variable message signs in and around the garage will display parking space availability, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant signs will direct handicapped drivers to specific spaces.

Dave Radford, Executive Vice President of Q-Free America’s parking division, commended the city of Sparks for recognizing a parking problem and making the commitment to address it for their citizens. “The Sparks city government is really progressive,” he said. “When we showed them our parking solution, they saw it, liked it and made a decision. This is one of the quickest and smoothest agreements we have seen which, I believe, is a credit to the city and a testament to the quality of Q-Free products.”

Q-Free’s solution is ideal for the Sparks project because of the high vehicle turnover rate in the garage, which serves business owners and staff as well as tourists and residents enjoying the city’s entertainment offerings. In addition, sharing real-time parking availability with drivers will allow them to determine in advance whether to drive downtown, rideshare, or use other transportation.

While this is Q-Free’s first installation in Sparks, it continues Q-Free’s success in Nevada, where Q-Free solutions help manage parking at some of the Las Vegas Strip’s most iconic resorts—including the Cosmopolitan Hotel’s 5,000-space underground parking garage. “We know that our parking solutions reduce time spent looking for parking by an average of 40 percent,” said Radford. ”Based on such tangible benefits, we anticipate more contract announcements within the state of Nevada coming soon.”

About Q-Free 

Since 1984, Q-Free ASA (OSE: QFR), has been facilitating the safe and efficient movement of people and goods, with solutions that connect vehicles, drivers, and communities. Today, Q-Free’s elite brand portfolio features several top names in ITS including Intelight, OpenTMS, Intrada®, ParQSense, and Q-Free HUB. Together, these data-driven solutions improve the travel experience through smart intersection control, coordinated highways and arterials, incident management, toll operations, and parking guidance at the local, regional, and state-wide level.

Headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, Q-Free has annual revenues of approximately 1 billion NOK (120 million USD) and employs 400 transportation enthusiasts in 16 countries.

To learn more about how Q-Free is changing the way people move, visit www.q-free.com.