What's stopping buses being viable:
Infrequent service
Routes that meander randomly through housing estates that you have no interest in visiting
Stops that take ages as a queue of people count out spare change
Uncomfortable buses - the ladder chassis design with rock solid suspension needs to go
Cramped seats - no one wants to sit on a strangers lap
Getting stuck in the same traffic you would be if driving, while also having to suffer the above.
Fix the first 5 and you might find the last one also gets fixed.
Infrequent service
Routes that meander randomly through housing estates that you have no interest in visiting
Stops that take ages as a queue of people count out spare change
Uncomfortable buses - the ladder chassis design with rock solid suspension needs to go
Cramped seats - no one wants to sit on a strangers lap
Getting stuck in the same traffic you would be if driving, while also having to suffer the above.
Fix the first 5 and you might find the last one also gets fixed.