The problem with buses isn't that you can't use the ones that exist, it's that the ones you need don't always exist. The bus goes where it goes but not everywhere.
Then you have to go places the bus doesn't go often enough that you need a car, and once you've already paid for a car and taxes and insurance, it costs more to take the bus than the incremental cost of driving everywhere.
"once you've already paid for a car and taxes and insurance, it costs more to take the bus than the incremental cost of driving everywhere"
I agree and mentioned this in my other comment, but I'd also add that in my experience there are arbitrary* gaps in what routes are available.
Nearly all the buses in the city where I live go west to east, from a certain midpoint to down town. But I live about 10 minutes south of a point on the western side and there are really no routes that go north-south here. And I work for a major employer.
*Seemingly arbitrary to me, but of course they might rationally determine there's not enough riders.
I used to live 5 miles from work with a straight shot down a bus corridor. It was cheaper to drive it. Occasionally I'd set out for work by bike at the same time the bus arrived at my stop and still beat them there.
Then you have to go places the bus doesn't go often enough that you need a car, and once you've already paid for a car and taxes and insurance, it costs more to take the bus than the incremental cost of driving everywhere.