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They can be, but they need not be. An empty bus, or nearly empty bus is not mass transit. Mass transit needs to run fixed routes, which is the opposite of what on-demand call apps give you. On demand buses have the annoying property of wasting your time by going to pick up someone else who isn't even on the way. Thus you won't ride one unless nobody else does (not mass transit) or you have no other choice (again not mass transit)

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And even bus based mass transit hits carrying capacity limits.

Bogotá’s bus rapid transit system, which is among the best designed in the world (train-like boarding platforms, all door entry, express and local “tracks”) is nearly impossible to use in rush hour because too many people are trying to use at once.

At that point the only thing that works is a subway or elevated train line

True, but in context of the question this doesn't matter: app based transit scales WORSE than individuals owning a car. Apps as a supplement for people who mostly use real mass transit can be useful, but it alone is worse than everybody driving their own car.

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