Sharon D. Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation

This award was established in 2001 in memory of Sharon D. Banks, who was the General Manager of AC Transit, Oakland, California, from 1991 to 1999 and served as Chairwoman of the Transportation Research Board Executive Committee in 1998. She died in 1999. She was nationally known for her personal integrity, for nurturing and mentoring young transportation professionals, and for bringing together people of diverse backgrounds and commitments in the pursuit of organizational excellence.

The award, which is presented biennially, is intended to honor others who exemplify her ideals of humanity and service by recognizing recipients that have a documented record of innovative and successful humanitarian leadership in areas such as the education, training, and mentoring of transportation professionals; community-sensitive transportation facilities and services; and other people-oriented initiatives that bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds in the pursuit of excellence. Selection of recipients is made by a committee appointed by the Chairman of the TRB Executive Committee.

This award was established by TRB with the encouragement and support of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Other contributors to the award, in addition to TRB and USDOT, include the American Public Transportation Association, AC Transit, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, and the California Transit Association.

2012 - J. Barry Barker
2010 - Michael S. Townes
2008 - Shirley A. DeLibero
2006 - Sandra L. Draggoo
2004 - Shirley Clair McCall
2002 - Naomi W. Ledé