New ticket machine detects explosives

Cubic Corp., a provider of fare systems to the transportation sector, has teamed with GE Security to develop an automatic public transit ticket vending machine with integrated early warning explosives detection and supporting faregate capability. The system detects explosives residue on passengers as they select their ticket before boarding a train. If residue is detected, the system denies the passenger entry and alerts security or law enforcement.

The two companies recently announced the successful completion of the system’s first real-world operational test, conducted last month in a Baltimore MTA subway station. The test was conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology unit, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), with technical support provided by Cubic and GE Security.