Lots of people want 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.

The image contrasts fair‑weather companionship with steadfast loyalty. A limousine symbolizes success, status, and the ease that attracts many acquaintances; the broken limo represents inevitable setbacks—loss, failure, illness, or public scrutiny—when glamour disappears. The “bus” suggests ordinary, inconvenient, even humbling circumstances. The quote argues that the most valuable relationships are not those that cluster around your advantages, but those that remain when circumstances strip those advantages away. It also implies a test for character: true friends share burdens and adapt with you, rather than benefiting only from your comfort or visibility.