The reason most rapid transit solutions do not work is because they have not been made attractive enough. If you could have free phone and internet while riding and have nearing destination personalized announcements then people might give up the car. Once most people try a good system like the L.A. bus system they then realize how awesome it is to be on the phone, reading a book, resting, or whatever and also not dealing with parking, negotiating traffic, tickets, gas expense etc. they change their opinions. The biggest reason is using mass transit is not represented enough in the media. Perhaps we need a bus riding action hero?