Just wanted to throw in my thoughts on all this.
So I live in new builds next to the Sighthill College and I work in Newbridge. For 99% of the time until recently I drove into work with being 10-15 minute drive, however circumstances with the Mrs has changed, she works in the Royal Infirmary and unless its nights or weekends plain refuses to pay for parking, so she buses it to work. Over the past few months I have tested out getting the bus to/from work so we could get rid of one car. At the end of November, I decided it was time to hand my car back (being on lease) and take the plunge to car share.
During the test runs I used the 63 from Sighthill at 650am which gets me to Newbridge just after 710, then a short walk up to the dealership estate for SGN, which isn't too bad, although it feels like a long journey as the bus isn't a limited stop. My other test was to get the 21 on Broomhouse Road and get off at Tesco/PC World then switch over to the X18, this involved a 10 minute wait for the X18. Personally I prefer the X18 due to the limited stops over the 63, even though overall due to the waiting times on the X18 the 63 is the quicker option.
Getting home is entirely different, Newbridge roundabout is a sh!t hole and could easily be waiting up to 10 minutes just to get past it. The route of the 63 isn't the best as it has to deal with Old Liston Road, which can just be soul destroying. For me LCB is the better option getting home, with the introduction of the X38 now gives me the option of the 275, X17, X18 and X38 to Gogar where I get off and switch over to the tram, so I don't have to sit and deal with Gyle traffic on the bus, that being said I could get the 300/400/20 up along Bankhead Avenue, although having done this route to save a 5 minute walk I ended up being stuck at traffic waiting to get onto the roundabout at Calder Road resulting in taking 10 minutes longer than getting the tram and having a slightly longer walk, unless its bank holidays I get the tram and get off at Bankhead, giving myself a 10 minute walk.
Long story short, as I only travel in the City and CityWest Zones I would either have to pay £5 for a CityWest Day saver, which there is no bundle packages. Potentially costing me £25 for a week or £100 for the month. Thankfully the Ridacard provides travel CityWest Zones not just City zones. This is what I just do not understand, why there is no Ridacard options outside of the City and CityWest zones?
First buses for me is just not viable option for where I stay and work to get any First buses, this is 1 of the many reasons why I pick Lothian over First. Obviously living in Edinburgh gives me the Lothian bus/tram network.
My guess is, for many people it is all down to where you live and where you work will determine what buses you will get. That being said of course, as many has already pointed out that the car is the main choice for most, which it was with me for at least 8 years due to poor connections in Newbridge for Lothian buses.
If and big if/when LCB introduce Ridacard use on the West only zones, then this is where either they will acquire new passengers or people might switch from First to LCB.