We're too spread out. Still the Bus Riders Union wants more buses. Somehow I don't think putting more of anything on city streets is going to cut down on traffic. A bus in a traffic jam doesn't move any faster than a car in a traffic jam, no matter how long the light stays green. A twenty year old subway car is just entering middle age.
Busses are efficient at moving people over distances of less than a mile or two.
But beyond that they become part of the problem. And they are not good neighbors. Their noise and fumes are created fresh every day, not just during construction. Still busses are the instant solution. Add more busses.