Buses are also great if you have a stroller. Or are in a group.
Most buses (at least where I live) are wheelchair accessible.
From a utility standpoint, if I have to stand then there are 30 or more others in the same bus. That corresponds to 20+ individual cars. The high density lines go every 10 minutes, with an accordion bus. Assuming worst-case standing is frequent then there's something like 60+ people, meaning that one bus is equivalent to at least 40 cars.
Bearing in mind there's already other street traffic.
In other words, the worst case scenario for a bus means that the worst case scenario for the alternative leads is more street congestion.
Well, yes. But that's not really tied to the thread is it? I mean, the self-driving bus is going to follow a given route, and not have most of the advantages that throwaway287391 sees in Uber/Lyft.
BTW, I don't know how much you use the bus, but the driver does more than just drive. People ask "is this the bus to X?", or "could you let me know when I've reached Y?" If someone is running for the bus, the driver will sometimes wait a bit. (I've done all of the above.)
I've been on a bus where the side door didn't close. The driver didn't notice it, and started driving away. The passengers told the driver of the problem, who stopped the bus and closed the door manually.
The driver also kicks off people who are too disruptive.
Or wait until the cyclist mounts a bike on the front bike rack before getting into the bus. You wouldn't want an automated bus driving away with someone's bike on it, but without the person inside, would you?
