People Still Want Buses, But Buses Aren't Delivering

Urban light rail has enjoyed a renaissance since the Great Recession, but during the same period cities have quietly reduced bus service. Daniel Hertz argues that while rail is commendable, buses remain a vital transit component.

1 minute read

June 8, 2015, 10:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Bus Stop Winter

renee_mcgurk / Flickr

High-profile transit projects are exciting, but because of their sexiness the dependable and unglamorous city bus may be getting short shrift. 

Since the 2008 recession, "Light rail in particular has continued its decade-plus boom, with a service increase of more than 12% in just two years. By contrast, bus service – which already took a heavier hit in the first years of the recession – was cut an additional 5.8%."

Hertz argues that demand for buses has not dropped. In fact, he finds no real correlation between dips in ridership and subsequent service cuts. 

The bus decline may have more to do with political demographics: "Even though more people take buses than trains in nearly every metropolitan area in the country, train riders, on average, tend to be wealthier and whiter [...] In other words, rail tends to have a more politically powerful constituency behind it than buses."

"There are serious equity issues with shifting resources from bus to rail – again, not because of anything inherent to those technologies, but simply because of who happens to use them in modern American cities."

For a response to the arguments of Hertz's article, see a Planetizen blog post by Michael Lewyn citing examples of light rail systems that add bus riders, rather than cannibalizing them.


Monday, June 1, 2015 in City Observatory City Commentary

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

The Seat of Government

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

February 3, 2025 - Todd Litman

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Vacant interior of open plan office with large buildings and stacked wood planks on floor.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025

Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

5 hours ago - RentCafé

Crane and construction on multi-story buildings in downtown Houston, Texas.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform

The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

6 hours ago - Urban Edge

Small rural USPS post office in manufactured one-story grey building with American flag in front.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes

Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

7 hours ago - Cowboy State Daily