(26 Nov 2014, 2:23 pm)gtom wrote GNE could use communities like this to their advantage and build relations instead of the stand off attitude. You wouldn't be asking anything or expecting anything sensitive to be divulged but I don't see what harm the odd 'yes we're looking at upgrading route xx'

Buuuuuut, the majority, vast majority of customers don't care about paint jobs, driver hours, regulated running, Euro 54 whatever, PVR etc etc etc.  They care for a clean, comfortable, reliable thing on 4 wheels (or more wheels, as long as its wheels) moving in the direction they wish to go at a price they find reasonable.

Does this forum represent customers/passengers in general, or only an interested group of 'enthusiasts'?

I can see certain ideas that are being proposed on here as being useful, but there are also a lot of suggestions that wouldn't necessarily benefit the bus companies. 
I do know that certain senior managers are aware of this forum.
Don't expect them to take what is proposed or reported on here as 'gospel' - all forums have a band of members who seek to change the World or dispute the facts - as I've suggested, members here are enthusiasts - some might say 'spotters'.
I have heard drivers express their dislike of 'spotters' hanging around bus stations taking photographs (and, I believe, some are 'not welcome' at or near depots). It is, therefore, easy to dismiss this forum as representing those 'disliked' spotters (and senior managers consider themselves as having greater experience and knowledge of running buses than Joe Public).
I would not expect a busy manager to spend all day monitoring all the threads on a site such as this.
I would expect them to treat this forum with caution and not want to become sources of information that could be commercially or politically sensitive - we have seen how some celebrities have regretted their openness on social media.