Edmonton riders to be scanned for explosives Options

[KevinKorell]

The federally-funded pilot project will modify ticket machines to find potential terrorist threats in a test of technology aimed at boosting safety for commuters without slowing them down with airport-style holdups. View the full article

[KevinKorell]

Sounds like a neat idea to have the TVM scan the customers. But, most transit agencies promote the purchase of weekly or monthly passes to avoid the need to stand on line at a ticket machine every day (and save some money in the process). So those with passes won't be visiting the machines every day. It will therefore only detect explosives on the person of the infrequent traveler or the tourist who purchases a Day Pass or a ticket for one or two trips. A potential terrorist who is going to destroy himself in the process won't mind buying a monthly pass well in advance of the day of his planned attack so he won't be scanned when he has the explosives. Leave it to me to think ahead for these guys.

Given that this is light rail as opposed to rapid transit, it may be difficult given the confines of many LRT systems to move to a gated system (as Los Angeles County MTA is trying to do). But at least with a gated system the faregates that everybody must pass through would be a better place for a "sniffer" than the ticket machines.

This post has been edited by KevinKorell: Jan 12 2012, 02:53 PM