Hellobee Boards

Well, most buses will not have seat belts. People wear or carry the baby, or keep the baby strapped in the infant seat (not installed). If you are using a stroller, then you'll likely be required to fold the stroller before boarding the bus. It seems scary, perhaps, but buses are statistically much less likely than cars to be involved in a crash.

For taxis, some cities exempt the car seat requirement (but I can't recommend this, given the safety hazard). Personally, we avoided using a taxi except from the airport into the city. It's possible, but can be frustrating, to install a car seat in a taxi. There may also be a family-friendly car service (with car seats included) you can call instead of a taxi, though this would mean wondering if the seat was clean, safe, and correctly installed, I bet.

The easiest thing is to just wear the baby in a carrier. This is particularly good during busy times, when it would be hard/impossible to get a stroller on board a busy train or bus. However, I do use the stroller on weekends when public transit is less busy and generally you can roll your stroller onto a train and even a bus if there is room (I assume this is the same in SF as it is here in Boston). I avoid cabs completely but yes, you can definitely install a carseat in one if you have to.

We took the bus all the time when DS was an infant. He would be in the carrier, and you can also do the carrier in taxis (they are exempt from the car seat rule). When he got bigger (and still) we use the umbrella stroller; he sits in it, buckled in with the brake on. On a crowded bus it's annoying, but usually is ok, and I always have the option of collapsing it but it never seems worth it for a short trip.

I avoided taxis unless I had the car seat with me (like attached to the stroller) anyway. Buses I did like other people said, either the stroller or I wore her in the carrier. I felt ok with buses since they never go fast and are so big. I personally wouldn't take a taxi without a car seat even though it is legal.

@MrsBucky: good to know! I've never used it, just heard of it.

@Foodnerd81: We have some pretty strict seat belt and carseat laws! Kids have to be in a booster until 8 years old or 4'9".

Totally fine to take baby on the bus without a carseat. Carrier or stroller both work fine.