New Deliveries / New Livery & Branding Discussion

[B.C Driver]

A lot of the arguments on here are missing the key point
Decent seating, WiFi and USB charging ports are standard on new buses these days. So why do new buses have to be "Platinum"? The fleet livery is Crimson, what's the point ordering new buses as Platinum? Yes advertise the features of new buses but there is literally no point having the livery for it now that the features are the norm

Good points...

[Westy]

There's already a precedent too, with the E200s for the 54/54A to Stafford having WiFi. It was advertised externally but I'm not sure if it still is now that they've been crimsoned.

Havent kept a close eye on the 54's since the last change, but are the same buses still used, because I thought it was interworked with other services, & whatever those routes used?

[winston]

A lot of the arguments on here are missing the key point
Decent seating, WiFi and USB charging ports are standard on new buses these days. So why do new buses have to be "Platinum"? The fleet livery is Crimson, what's the point ordering new buses as Platinum? Yes advertise the features of new buses but there is literally no point having the livery for it now that the features are the norm

The fleet livery is both Crimson & Platinum, there are two liveries. By maintaining 'Platinum' livery & brand for higher spec buses, it will promote routes externally such as the 9 & 50 that already have Crimson E400MMC's, to illustrate they've received another fleet upgrade.

[BN]

Havent kept a close eye on the 54's since the last change, but are the same buses still used, because I thought it was interworked with other services, & whatever those routes used?

Yes 853/4 are used.

[Tony]

All 75 registrations for the E400MMCs are now on the main site
http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/fleetlist/5001-9959.html

[Squiz1971]

All 75 registrations for the E400MMCs are now on the main site
http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/fleetlist/5001-9959.html

Are  6952 -67 being built at the other factory as they have YX68 prefixes? @Tony

[The Fox 4846]

Although the Platinum features are to be expected on all new deliveries I feel the platinum brand is being devalued. Instead of having all platinums I would have platinums and new crimson buses with half of the features:
Crimson - High Back Seats, Free WiFi, Next Stop Announcements
Platinum - All of the above &: Partial Leather seats, Extra Legroom, USB Chargers
Some of the crimson fleet have the features above but no crimson buses have the other features. I would leave out legroom because it reduces capacity especially on main corridors; also I would leave out chargers and Partial Leather in order to not detract from platinum. By doing this the platinum brand isn't devalued whilst the new bus deliveries are enhanced for standard corridors. I feel Platinum should be kept for Express, Long Distance, & very high valued services.

[Tony]

Although the Platinum features are to be expected on all new deliveries I feel the platinum brand is being devalued. Instead of having all platinums I would have platinums and new crimson buses with half of the features:
Crimson - High Back Seats, Free WiFi, Next Stop Announcements
Platinum - All of the above &: Partial Leather seats, Extra Legroom, USB Chargers
Some of the crimson fleet have the features above but no crimson buses have the other features. I would leave out legroom because it reduces capacity especially on main corridors; also I would leave out chargers and Partial Leather in order to not detract from platinum. By doing this the platinum brand isn't devalued whilst the new bus deliveries are enhanced for standard corridors. I feel Platinum should be kept for Express, Long Distance, & very high valued services.

So you think all passengers don't deserve the same quality of new buses?

[Tony]

Are  6952 -67 being built at the other factory as they have YX68 prefixes? @Tony

Yes. They are the Scarborough vehicles

[Trident 4194]

So you think all passengers don't deserve the same quality of new buses?

Yes that's a bit of a silly statement. So your suggesting services such as PB 54 and PN 28 should have platinum features?

[The Fox 4846]

Not at all. That's a ridiculous statement. Never mind new orders what about neglected routes, never getting new vehicles, what about those passengers? My suggestion is to keep the platinum brand separate, whilst still enhancing new orders of standard buses. If anything it would promote new routes but also would mean that the platinum brand is viewed as a higher quality. No point having a - high quality brand - that just gets lumped on any route. By keeping platinum separate it will promote express routes, and long-distance services. If platinum buses are ordered for short journey commuter routes what is the point in having usb sockets? For 10 minute journeys? Or what's the point in having WiFi on commuter services where people can't get a seat? This is why my suggestion is as such: to improve new bus orders but to only have certain features on the Platinum brand where they will actually benefit customers.

[Tony]

Yes that's a bit of a silly statement. So your suggesting services such as PB 54 and PN 28 should have platinum features?

Why is it silly, yes those passengers do deserve the same features when their fleet get renewed

[Tony]

Not at all. That's a ridiculous statement. Never mind new orders what about neglected routes, never getting new vehicles, what about those passengers? My suggestion is to keep the platinum brand separate, whilst still enhancing new orders of standard buses. If anything it would promote new routes but also would mean that the platinum brand is viewed as a higher quality. No point having a - high quality brand - that just gets lumped on any route. By keeping platinum separate it will promote express routes, and long-distance services. If platinum buses are ordered for short journey commuter routes what is the point in having usb sockets? For 10 minute journeys? Or what's the point in having WiFi on commuter services where people can't get a seat? This is why my suggestion is as such: to improve new bus orders but to only have certain features on the Platinum brand where they will actually benefit customers.

You said some of the new buses shouldn't have all the features of platinum. Which of the 50, 9, X10, X70, 11 & 12X passengers do you think don't deserve full platinums?

[winston]

Not at all. That's a ridiculous statement. Never mind new orders what about neglected routes, never getting new vehicles, what about those passengers? My suggestion is to keep the platinum brand separate, whilst still enhancing new orders of standard buses. If anything it would promote new routes but also would mean that the platinum brand is viewed as a higher quality. No point having a - high quality brand - that just gets lumped on any route. By keeping platinum separate it will promote express routes, and long-distance services. If platinum buses are ordered for short journey commuter routes what is the point in having usb sockets? For 10 minute journeys? Or what's the point in having WiFi on commuter services where people can't get a seat? This is why my suggestion is as such: to improve new bus orders but to only have certain features on the Platinum brand where they will actually benefit customers.

As new bus orders are only replacing approx. 5% of the fleet this year, they will be allocated when the best returns on their investment can be achieved or where emission rule changes dictate. 75 new buses can only update so many routes in anyone year. There are no short journey commuter routes, most people check their phones at every possible moment they have the opportunity.

Platinum has already deviated away from solely being the brand for express routes, the Platinum features will benefit any type of route and are design to make the environment of the bus more comfortable, offering extra features and hopefully increase ridership.

[Trident 4194]

As new bus orders are only replacing approx. 5% of the fleet this year, they will be allocated when the best returns on their investment can be achieved or where emission rule changes dictate. 75 new buses can only update so many routes in anyone year. There are no short journey commuter routes, most people check their phones at every possible moment they have the opportunity.

Platinum has already deviated away from solely being the brand for express routes, the Platinum features benefit any type of bus routes and are design to make the environment of the bus more comfortable, offering extra features and hopefully increase ridership.

Am I right in saying all platinum routes enter city centre? No coincidence there?