Florida-based CU taps Dolphin Debit for ATM fleet expansion

As part of a new outsourcing agreement, Dolphin Debit has rolled out 15 new ATMs for Dade County Federal Credit Union, a Miami-based institution with 12 branches, more than 95,000 members, and nearly $775 million in assets.

Rather than making a major capital investment as it expanded its ATM fleet to serve select employee groups on-site, the institution opted for a new approach, said Robert Plasencia, vice president of compliance and fraud for the credit union.

"The cost associated with rolling out these ATMs was what led me to Dolphin Debit. We decided to go with Dolphin due to the full managed service they provide and their pricing," he said in a press release.

"I have been very impressed with the rollout of the machines. Once we decide on a new location, the turnaround time is very good, and the terminals themselves are extremely reliable."

Dade County FCU's mixed ATM fleet now includes a total of 51 machines. According to Plasencia, the CU is seeing better uptime with the new ATMs, which Dolphin Debit manages on a day-to-day basis.

"A larger credit union is often able to move part of its fleet to Dolphin Debit, and then have the chance to see the benefits when compared to the rest of the fleet," Dolphin Debit co-founder Gary Walston said in the release. "We welcome those opportunities, because it allows us to highlight the contrast and really demonstrate the advantages of turning over ATM management to us."

Dade County FCU plans to add three more Dolphin Debit ATMs this summer, and is considering more in the future, the release said.