(10 Jun 2014, 2:36 pm)aureolin wrote I disagree. Like I've said I'm not disputing the investment, cost, etc, but the only thing your average customer is going to differentiate between buses is the length and height of the bus. Comparing say a Citaro and full size Versa, and you'll get the same answer - they're two buses. More recently though, I admit people tend to refer to brands or colours...

The take the Merc tagline is a good example, and is exactly the point I was making about anything being a perk if the correct spin is put on it. If the same bus was designed and engined by Scania to the same design and specification, you wouldn't see that played upon, as there's little recognition outside the commercial vehicle world. You wouldn't put "take the volvo" for the B9TL's either, seeing as they have a reputation of being an old man's estate car, with plenty of room for golf clubs and dogs in the boot.

I don't really understand why Go North East would pay anywhere between £40k-£80k extra for heavy weight vehicles if they didn't think customers would benefit from a better experience with them, and acknowledge that fact too?

The "Connections 4" would have coped with full length Versas, so why did Go North East opt for Mercedes Citaros? The Mercs are built to last, and customers will experience a much higher level of comfort on a Merc than a Versa.

I've said this at least three times in the past - my mam knew that when a "Northern" branded vehicle was approaching, it was going to be one hell of a rattley bus (SPD), and she'd have to put her earphones in for the journey to make it more bearable. She doesn't have to do that on a Merc. She has absolutely no knowledge of buses whatsoever, but she knew that red buses turning up in place of a silver one on the Silver Arrows meant that it would have been a bad journey if she didn't have her earphones! Might I add this also links in with Go North East ditching the Northern name and investing in more 'red spares' - to change the public perception of red spares turning up in place of branded vehicle?