Another way I thought of internalizing this, is that the bus system apparently is inadequate to make good commuter flows possible. I say this from my European, bus-crazy point of view; over here all the good bus networks are specifically designed to cater to commuters. I wonder if a better designed (both in terms of the buses themselves, like Leap, and the network itself) system with a higher level of service should have filled this market of good and cheap commuting. I know buses suck in US metropolitan areas, but shouldn't the solution then be to improve that service instead of adding yet another layer? That said, I am all for new initiatives and this seems like an amazing idea. Didn't know vanpooling was a thing. But I wonder if it's just a great idea because of the terribleness of buses, not necessarily because this is the best way to organize local transportation.