(28 Jun 2021, 10:21 am)Adrian wrote I'd say its more a niche market. I don't think they have a similar network of donors! 

It's not one I'm involved in, but a quick Google search as a prospective customer for 'public transport livery design' only presented two suitable results on the first page: Best Impressions and The Brand Surgery (who designed Stagecoach's Zone and Dots branding). If other designers aren't getting into those top handful of results, then potential customers aren't going to find them without word of mouth or directly targeted marketing. 

Best Impressions might not get everything right, but nor does any designer. Liveries, colours used, choice of fruit and so on are always going to be subjective, but whilst people on here are very quick to slate Best Impressions designs, they were just as quick with the company (whose name escapes me - and I cannot find them on Google!) that designed the likes of the Coast & Country, Prince Bishops and Durham Diamonds. Very rare do we see some counter ideas presented, though acknowledging the decent design that omnicity4659 attached to this thread and hopefully the one we're waiting for from beachboy99.

I get that liveries are subjective. Totally agree. Brand names are too. 
What I don't get, is why an operator who had clear and unique identities, ones which stood out as different to others - starts to use liveries which are as much the same as others up and down the country.

It was pointed out by citaro that others are doing the same.
It also seems that big cheeses at those operators also like a selfie or two with Stenning and have done for quite a while.
Whether there's one, two or fifty design agencies, I don't see many other selfies of their creatives with big cheeses on days out.

What I do see, is one of the few design agencies you mention using the same (or similar designs) across the UK.
Someone is either very confident that they can keep churning out these designs without work drying up; knows there's very little competition and can churn out designs without work going to a competitor or isn't able to influence decision makers within operators, so that they could do something that is different or unique and likely to stand out from the crowd.

Bib: did you mean Beacon?