I don't think public transits lend themselves to such "unit-economics" level individual centric analysis. There are many indirect second/third order benefits wh

I don't think public transits lend themselves to such "unit-economics" level individual centric analysis. There are many indirect second/third order benefits which I conjecture outweigh the primary benefit of transporting people from A to B. To name a few 1. They attract a section of population to the region who prefer public transit which in turn leads to more business. 2. A string of businesses spring up in/around intermediate stations. Then you have service businesses that support those; like restaurant etc., 3. It creates employment for thousands. 4. Cost savings w.r.t. parking space, reduced accidents etc., 5. It makes car ownership that much less of a requirement for jobs in the city. This is what I noticed in Amsterdam, Netherlands where car commute is considered almost as a last resort. Obviously there are other things that need to fall in place to make public transit work but I believe it on its own is quite beneficial. From the view point of an individual I don't doubt that economically car commute is perhaps cheaper than mass-transit, but I don't think think that's the goal of a public transit. The benefit to the society is at an aggregate direct and indirect.