I think it can be done if you pair changes like removing stops with other improvements that bus riders will appreciate. For example, in my neighborhood the city

I think it can be done if you pair changes like removing stops with other improvements that bus riders will appreciate. For example, in my neighborhood the city recently introduced a dedicated bus lane down a major road, and removed a couple stops at the same time to streamline the bus route. I've been following the results somewhat closely, and I haven't heard any complaints about missing stops, only complaints from car drivers. It's hard to complain about your stop moving a block at the committee meeting if they have hard data that everyone's commute is an average of 10 minutes faster.