Question 1: Do you think the underlying complaints of the protests, which are presumably about problems like gentrification, are valid?
Question 2: If so, what do you propose the people do?
As to one of your questions:
Presumably, the protesters want the city and those companies to sit together and create a public transport system that works for everybody. It's fine to have lines and stops specifically laid out to be beneficial to the primary users, as long as everybody else can ride along. That's what tends to happen over on this side of the pond, and I find it an exceedingly reasonable suggestion, because everybody would win even more.
No, the companies and their employees would NOT win more if it were public. Want to have a semi-confidential conversation? Better be on the private bus. Want to have the bus have wifi VPN'd back to the home office? Works better on a private bus. Want more certainty of finding a seat, or having a power outlet to charge your laptop? Works better on a private coach. Want special hours to accommodate a hackathon, or a holiday party or other special event? Works better for a private service. Want to keep protesters from annoying your employees...?
It's not the case that everyone would win more, IMO.
Question 2: If so, what do you propose the people do?
As to one of your questions:
Presumably, the protesters want the city and those companies to sit together and create a public transport system that works for everybody. It's fine to have lines and stops specifically laid out to be beneficial to the primary users, as long as everybody else can ride along. That's what tends to happen over on this side of the pond, and I find it an exceedingly reasonable suggestion, because everybody would win even more.