Bus routes are not supposed to replace train routes. It is by design that bus routes are longer, buses are meant to service areas not accessible by train.

I'm curious if you traveled by bus since the introduction of bus time last year? It has really changed my commuting life. In the past I might be standing out in the cold or heat for a half hour waiting for the next bus. Now I can predict when my bus will show up and spend mere minutes waiting for it.