This surprise test of explosive detection equipment is another attempt by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a ?feel good measure? that doesn?t inconvenience the daily New York City business commuter. The voluntary screening tests are expected to continue for three weeks and are designed to thwart commuter train bombings, similar to the March 2004 Madrid bombing and the July 2005 London bombings . These tests are expected to correspond with the study of other types of equipment that will allow the screening of passengers from a distance. The New York Times article, notes that DHS expects to spend $10 million on the project, which is designed to see how this technology works in the daily commuter environment without hindering traffic flow. Larry Orluskie, a spokesman for DHS, indicated that the testing would involve multiple types of sensors to detect explosive materials and metals; however, the metal detectors have been programmed to be less sensitive than those at airports to avoid inconvenient delays to commuters. Those commuters that were interviewed for the article were less than reassuring about the screening process.

Hopefully this test of experimental equipment is more than just an examination of the technology, as that can be done in a laboratory-controlled environment. Additionally, the focus of the test should be upon the effectiveness of the detection of bomb materials and weapons, not on its impact on traffic flow.