The Leigh - Salford - Manchechester bus rapid transit route provides an interesting competition between the X34/34 service, operated by Stagecoach with E400MMCs (with upgraded seating); and the V1 service, operated by First with Vantage-branded Eclipse Gemini 3 (with upgraded seating and Streetdeck styling). Only the Vantage buses get to use the guided busway service; but the East Lancs road buslanes are available to both; and consequently there is very little difference in timings between the competitor services, except maybe in the morning peak.
The X34/34 service seems to be holding its own - but the explosive growth in patronage has been on the V1 services - even outside the peak. Partly, no doubt this must be due to regular peak period weekday passengers with First weekly tickets, using them outside peak hours; but it does seem that on this route at least; the Streetdeck style and branding is preferred. Maybe the E400MMCs are insufficiently distinct from standard Stagecoach services; and passengers from Leigh are buying into the premium brand. But personally, I think the Vantage buses are classier; and I also think their balance of accommodation - 63 seated, 28 standing - is better for a route that mixes long-distance rapid transit characteristics with city-centre hop-on/hop-off trips.
