"I think he may even have a context for his statement having grown up in South Africa, where the majority of public transport is done using Minibus Taxis. They have no central isle and while there is an isle of sorts that runs along the side of vehicle with the passenger door, a much higher percentage of floor space is used for seating. While they are horrifically unsafe, the industry is surprisingly efficient and highly adaptable to market forces and geographic changes in demand.  "