In the two years that I've lived here, I think I've adapted quite well to the transportation, but that doesn't mean I don't dread a six hour journey still. Sometimes people will listen to their phones out loud, or the windows won't be open so it's stiflingly hot and smelly, or we'll just wait on the side of the road while the bus driver takes a break (I once waited 30 minutes while the driver had a whole meal and then we continued on our way). I have marveled at the sight of Chimborazo as we drive past on our way to Riobamba and had to measure my breath to battle motion sickness on a particularly chaotic ride. This is all to say, I've had super smooth, easy bus rides, and some that felt like purgatory.
I would say the most telling part of the transportation about culture and environment is that not everyone has a car here (or needs one). In smaller towns or more rural places, it makes more economical sense for the family to maybe have one car but rely on the buses as their main transportation system.
Even when I was living in Quito, a family would have a maximum of one car to share, even with adult children in the home, because gas and maintenance on top of the expense of the car itself is quite expensive. Overall, people can go about their lives and operate using the public transportation, which, although it isn't the most convenient or efficient, is just the normal way of life here.
