American reacts to Why American Buses Are Just Worse

Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to Why American Buses Are Just Worse

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[tussk.]

I had an American friend visit when I lived in Glasgow a few years ago, and they wanted to go to Inverness. I said no problem, we'll get the bus. It's free for me and the person I'm travelling with. They looked utterly horrified. The bus? Ummm, no thanks. They would rather not go. I was surprised at that, and assured them that it would be ok. There was nothing to worry about. The bus had leather recliner seats, free wi-fi, two toilets, plenty of storage space, and curtains on the window in case they wanted to get some sleep. The look on thier face when they saw that our standard bus was better than the first class train in her city was priceless. Getting the bus there was an act of desperation.

[mezahatred]

That "Antler" you saw on the bus ( A danish bus ) is a right side mirror to better see if all doors are clear to close and get a better view of normal blind spots you would otherwise have.

[DougBrown-hn]

The USAs supposed "free market economy" doesn't actually seem to extend outside the country. If there was competition from international products (unencumbered by import levies), it might incline US manufacturers to up their game. In a closed market, the USA can continue to supply inferior products to a nation incapable of comparison - same deal with US food producers (and more generally, the broad culture of isolationism and consequent international ignorance).

[ginagriffith]

I caught a bus in LA once and everyone on the bus stared at me and anyone else who knew thought I was crazy and irresponsible as it was dangerous. I walked back to the hotel, about 3kms and only saw homeless people on the street, they didn't seem dangerous just surprised to see me.
Everyone drives, rarely a pedestrian 😢
The US has to get over their idea that public transport is for the poor, and don't get me started on walking!

[nettcologne]

With low-floor buses there are no steps to get on the bus, they also lower down (sometimes a little to the side) to make it easier to get on. Wheelchair users also do not need any outside help getting in and out.

[DaintyMacroHobbit]

As a swede I gotta say most of our buses are really nice. Here in the countryside all the inter-village buses have both wifi and charging outlets for your phone. Not to mention they're kept very clean.

[Sandra-Gibora]

As a European, when you asked in a previous video how we see the States, I went all out. And then I deleted my comment because it seemed so unkind. You do have some very nice nature, so you’ve got that going for you, which is nice 😊

[jakubgruszecki]

Ryan's surprise that you can buy a ticket anywhere is amazing. In Poland you usually have 3 ways to buy a ticket, an app on your phone, a ticket machine at the bus stop or a ticket machine on the bus.
America wake up this is not the 20th century

[mats]

"Can you pay at every door?"..
oh poor boy ryan..

[michaelschuckart]

5:24 "Can you pay at every door?" We pay at the ticket machine at the stop or by app.

[AndreBlackScribe]

Public transportation in the US often feels like an afterthought, while Europe has embraced it as a core part of their infrastructure.
This difference can be traced back to the auto industry's lobbying efforts in the early 20th century.
As a result, many American cities have subpar public transportation systems, while European cities offer a reliable and efficient alternative to cars.

[Titanium_God]

For the car regulations, its a reason why Cybertruck wont be allowed in Europe. It might be safe for the people inside, BUT insanely bad for the other car when it comes to crash... Or if pedastrian would get hit, its deadly

[suemoore]

Australian buses generally come from Europe. 'Bendy' or banana buses have been around for decades. We have hybrid fuel buses, double decker buses, and buses that can be lowered to make it easier for a person in a wheelchair or with walking difficulties to board and disembark more easily. Once the person has boarded, the driver takes the bus to its usual height.

[irminschembri]

Low floor bus: so low that access is easy even for handicapped people. Sometimes there are buses that will lower themselves on the curbside for easier access before they "rise" again at departure.
My small Southern German town ( 110 000 inhabitants) has 2 tram lines and bendy bus routes throughout the town and into the suburbs. It's Albert Einstein's place of birth by the way :).

[brom]

US and Canada: Look at my new shiny Bus!
Rest of the world: Yo, what's that 💩?

[TheFrogfather]

We took buses a few times on our US tour back in May - mostly in LA and Chicago. To be honest I was more surprised that they existed at all than to think about how they compared to those in the UK. When your expectations are zero you can only be pleasantly surprised!

[armedfox_]

Here in Malaysia some city have busses that are free with free WiFi because the government wants to encourage more people to take public transport. They also created apps so you can track live location of your bus and bus schedule. You can go almost anywhere in public transport even crossing state line and into neighbouring country

[cliffarroyo]

In a lot of European countries they don't check tickets when you get on. You validate your ticket when you get on (or buy a time-based pass before). Then there are spotchecks to make sure everybody has a valid ticket. It makes getting on and off a lot faster.

[smudgealdrin]

My Daughter lives & works in London. She told me she has no reason whatsoever to own a car. She can get to where she needs to be when she needs to be there via the bus / tube. A big grocery shop is easy with an online delivery time slot. So no lugging bags on & off. She swears her Oyster card top up per month is half the price of running a car too.

[stephenhodgson]

Where I live in the UK 99% of our buses only have one door. Two doors were phased out to stop people jumping on the door away from the driver and not paying, but they still flow freely. We have electric, hybrid and ICE buses and hey run frequently and are comfortable.

I suspect that lobby groups for both the auto and oil industries are behind the poor quality buses available in the US because if you can catch a bus you might not buy a car and a bus, especially an electric bus, is going to use a lot less fuel than the number of cars it replaces.