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Probably because cars are personal and the rest are mass transit. It’s not yours, but you pay to get on board when needed.
I have to explain to non-English speakers why you get in a car or a taxi but get on a bus or train.
It seems to me that the preposition usage corresponds to the boarding language pretty closely. Where "on" sounds most natural is also where "boarding" seems most appropriate.
Here is one linguist's take, with proposed usage cases at the end: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/005224.html
The schedule/route condition makes a lot of sense to me. Consider a bus converted to personal use as an rv:
"I boarded my bus and drove to the mountains" is a valid English sentence, but it sounds odd to me. But if it's still a regular bus and drove->rode it works.
"I drove to the mountains in my bus" sounds better. Same vehicle as a city/school bus, different context. Change to a regular bus and drove->rode doesn't sound right without also changing "in my" to "on the".
You board a coach, even if it's your own coach with them HOERSENS IN FRONTA DEM!!!
Interesting approach, but where does that leave taxis?
Because then it would be carboard
Not true. When you're in a car you're "onboard".
Evidenced by the "Baby on Board" stickers
Sure you do. It's just not something people commonly say.
But boarding and disembarking a car is totally valid language.
I disembark the beamer babyeah-oh! I disembark the Bee Emm Double You!
You also ride on a bus or on a ship but you ride in a car
Also motorcycles and bicycles.
I'll agree that it comes down to the personal vs. group nature of the vehicle. Maybe also who is controlling the vehicle (professional vs. amateur)
You don't board a motorcycle or a horse. You don't board a unicycle or bicycle. You don't board a kayak or canoe or a jetski or a dingy.
You DO board a stagecoach, pulled by horses. You do board a trawler or a fishing vessel.
I don't board my own van. I do board the intercity bush taxi (the same van with staff and better paint).
Likely all related to use of "board" for ships and devolved from there.
Not with that attitude
You also can't "squeeze into" a bus, ship or train, but you can into a car. It's a matter of scale.
You can absolutely squeeze into a train or bus ... they tend to be quite full sometimes.
Fair point...
Ever tried to get on a bus or the tram/tube/metro at rush hour?!
No, because I live in the US and have no concept of public transportation.
You have Greyhound
You definitely board a taxi though
Perhaps it has something to do with trains, buses, and ships being operated/driven by others? You also board an aircraft, a ferry (okay, that's a ship, but still), hot-air balloons...
but you can board (up) a house
(like boarding up the windows)
You can walk on board a bus, boat or train. You sit down into a car.
You used to need to cross a board or a plank to get on the ship or train but you don't need that for a car.
I'm guessing because it's a process in which you need to show a valid ticket of travel (or buy it) while 'boarding'. Like onboarding or something.
If you had seen my lemon yellow 1983 Cadillac you wouldn’t say that.
Witness me!!
this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2026
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
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