Protecting Subway Cars From Bombs

"An expert on public transit says a controversial new seat layout for TTC subway cars may make commuters feel safer, but there's no proof they actually will be.

Amer Shalaby, a civil engineering professor at the University of Toronto, says perimeter seating — bench-like seats that line the sides of subway cars, eliminating hiding places for explosives — is a relatively new concept that hasn't been monitored long enough to know if it actually thwarts possible terrorist attacks.

However, Shalaby says the proposed seating arrangement will go a long way to making commuters feel safer. Some Toronto transit users may be worried about taking the subway after terrorist attacks on commuter systems in Madrid, London and Mumbai, he says."