But buses actually don’t. you just pay for it later. Roads are one of the fastest deteriorating forms of infrastructure. the hole “ but rail dosnt make money” argument ignores the fact that… roads don’t ether
The time frame before a rail line will save money over buses is measured in decades.
With buses, you don't include the cost of road maintenance because buses share the roads with millions of other vehicles so the allocable cost is neglible.
Most European cities are transitioning towards dedicated bus lanes. In that case, in principle, that can be light rail or tram too. The biggest problem is crossing with normal roads. Trams are more tricky to implement than busses.
Roads for buses and trucks are far more expensive than for cars. Car drivers are absolutely subsidizing bus passengers by order of magnitude. Per passenger mile even Uber is cheaper.
