Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.

Winfrey contrasts the glamour of success (“the limo”) with the inevitable setbacks that expose who is truly loyal. The image suggests that many people are eager to share in status, comfort, and visibility when things are going well, but far fewer will remain present when circumstances deteriorate (“when the limo breaks down”). The “bus” symbolizes humility, inconvenience, and shared struggle—conditions that test relationships. The quote functions as advice about friendship and partnership: value those who stay when prestige disappears, and measure character by constancy rather than proximity to success.