(15 May 2022, 3:23 pm)Adrian wrote I don't think liveries give anyone 'desire', apart from a notable designer and his friendship group. If they were desirable by definition (as Andreos1 has pasted above), then we wouldn't have declining passenger numbers. Even pre-pandemic, I don't think there was any hard evidence that branding resulted in organic growth. On the most part, people used a 'desirable' branded bus, because they had no choice.

Much is made of Zap, Witchway or the 36 that Transdev run, but if you start using other parts of their network, its chalk and cheese in comparison. Burnley are still running some 22-year old B10BLEs in front-line service, which I'd suggest are about as desirable as a hole in the head to any non-enthusiast.

On the flipside, I think some of the innovations inside of a bus are more likely to encourage people to use them, e.g. comfortable seating and charging points, but it has to be part of a package. Fares and convenience are a much bigger part of that package, and on the most-part something that operators struggle to get right.

Tbh, I find their B10s not too bad from the inside and out although your point still stands with other bits of the network, the worst being Keighley services 60 & 66 as they have branded B9TLs that they like to shout about being #Amazing although at peak times the journeys are supplemented by Y reg Presidents with one of the most dark & gloomy interiors I've come across and haven't been retrimmed in that 20 years so many of the seats are as flat as pancakes, they also often stand in when the branded buses are unavailable.

Not everyone's expectations are the same, I'm pretty fine providing its somewhat comfortable, that said... the bus could look Blenheim Palace on wheels but if its not somewhat reliable or costs a small fortune people aren't likely to stick around if they can help it.