I wouldn't normally post in here, but the topic title caught my eye.
I live in a place with seemingly quite a few bus routes from downtown out to other residential areas and even across areas.
I always notice, no matter the time of day.......they're next to empty. On a bus that could easily carry 50, think the most I've ever seen on one was like 15 people.
Want to fix it? Instead of spending mega bucks to support suburbanite freeways and car feeders, stop doing it. Invest instead in bus, light rail, bike ride shares, park and ride lots.....and make the vehicle tax per-mile and make it steep.
The costs of roads is enormous, and largely ignored. But we'll piss and moan over a light rail project or bus project being a couple million dollars. When the local bypass likely cost a BILLION.
But, since the car and oil lobby is probably a bit stronger than the light rail and bus lobby...........there ya go.