where do timetables sit in the bus buying cycle?

I'm still guessing just how much has been spent on the launch of Greater Manchester's Bee Network, but it's obviously a fair few quid.

A lot of people have put in a lot of effort over a long period, raising awareness of the new name, what it's going to offer, and what colour to look out for.

I've seen plenty of advertising, read about the heritage of the name/identity and listened to opinions on the livery. 

I've also seen the timetables - which, by comparison, look like they've been knocked up on Word.

Now, there's a debate to be had about the role timetables play in the buying cycle of bus travel. I sway on the side of the 'by the time you need information from a timetable, you've already decided to travel by bus anyway' camp. 

This doesn't mean the timetables shouldn't be well designed and look the part, but the argument that investment in other areas (of making bus travel attractive) could yield better results is a strong one. Most of a timetable's content is purely functional - there to fulfil a need - instead of generating an emotive response or revenue.

Should the Bee Network's timetable be yellow? To join the branding dots, yes. Should they look better? Ideally, yes. 

Is the way they look going to affect someone's decision whether to get the bus or not? I somehow doubt it.