There is a way...car jacking. I bet those would triple if the buses shut down. Besides, buses are inherently unsafe due to unbalanced weight distribution. None of the passengers will go to the back of the bus.
FWIW, around here, the bus makes a lot of sense. For seniors, it's only $1 each way if there are no transfers. The inconvenience of bus travel is miniscule compared to the hassle and expense of parking "downtown".