John Burch, Deputy Director of Operations, Confederation of Passenger Transport UK; Member of the Yellow School Bus Commission

Transport is in John's blood. He has been involved with the bus and coach industry all 33 years of his working life. Originally from Kent, John has lived with his family in North Devon for the last 11 years. He has held various positions in the industry in both large and small undertakings and in both urban and rural areas. Since 2005 he has worked for the industry trade association, the CPT, where he holds the dual role of Deputy Director of Operations and South Western Regional Manager. Youth transport is a particular specialist interest for John.

He has been involved in operating contracted and commercial school transport services for many years and has also provided coaches for educational charters, holidays and tours. He services CPT's School Transport Group, is a Yellow School Bus Commissioner and is currently part of a team co-ordinated by the DfT looking at transport issues for young people.

In his spare time John is also a Trustee of a Community Transport Association in North Devon and Chairman of his local Community Rail Partnership, where carriage of young people is equally important. John believes very much that young people are the future of the bus and coach industry. He believes we desperately need to find ways to engage with young people better in an effort to persuade them to stay with public transport into adulthood and to actually join the industry and take it forward. This is a real challenge and one that John tries hard to meet.