John C. Vance Award

Established in 1979, the Award recognizes outstanding papers, or a presentation made at any TRB forum, or the person(s) responsible for a continuing, exceptional TRB publication that advances the study, understanding and implementation of transportation law. The Award is named in honor of John C. Vance, who served with distinction as the Highway Research Board's Counsel for Legal Research from 1968 until his retirement in 1978.

Selection Process
 
The Executive Committee of TRB has authorized annual presentation of a limited number of awards for outstanding papers published by TRB and selected through peer-review under the Technical Activities Council.

Past Recipients 

2021
PETER J. KIRSCH AND CHRISTIAN L. ALEXANDER; ACRP Legal Research Digest 40: Permissible Uses of Airport Property and Revenue

2020
No Award Presented (COVID-19) 

2019
TAMMY E. TRIMBLE, LISA LOFTUS-OTWAY, AND SUSANNA L. GALLUN; NCHRP Web-Only Document 253: Implications of Connected and Automated Driving Systems, Vol. 1: Legal Landscape 

TAMMY E. TRIMBLE, JASON WAGNER, WENDY WAGNER, LISA LOFTUS-OTWAY, BETTY L. SERIAN, BRAD MALLORY, SUSANNA L. GALLUN, SAM G. MORRISSEY, GLENN HAVINOVISKI, RICHARD BISHOP, AND PETE GOULD; NCHRP Web-Only Document 253: Implications of Connected and Automated Driving Systems, Vol. 3: Legal Modification Prioritization and Harmonization Analysis

2018
LARRY THOMAS; Legal Issues Concerning Transit Agency Use of Electronic Customer Data, Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Legal Research Digest 48

2017
DOROTHY GLANCY,  and ROBERT W. PETERSON: National Cooperative Highway Research Program Legal Research Digest 69: A Look at the Legal Environment for Driverless Vehicles

2014
LARRY W. THOMAS; Legal Issues Surrounding the Use of Digital Intellectual Property on Design and Construction Projects

2013
MICHAEL C. LOULAKIS, SHANNON BRIGLIA and LAUREN MCLAUGHLIN; TCRP Legal Research Digest 40: Legal Issues Involving Surety for Public Transportation Contracts

2011
JOCELYN K. WAITE, Application of Physical Ability Testing to Current Workforce of Transit Employees

2010
RICHARD A. CHRISTOPHER, The Natural Lawyer

2001
ROSS D. NETHERTON, Reexamination of the Line Between Governmental Exercise of Police Power and Eminent Domain

2000
MARK A. McNULTY, Treatment of Privacy Issues in the Public Transportation Industry

1999
RICHARD O. JONES, Application of Outdoor Advertising Controls on Indian Land

1998
NORMAN Y. HERRING and LAURA D'AURI, Restrictions on Speech and Expressive Activities in Transit Terminals and Facilities

1997
KEVIN M. SHEYS and ROBERT L. GUNTER, Requirements that Impact the Acquisition of Capital-Intensive Long-Lead Items, Rights of Way, and Land for Transit

1996
LEONA D. JOCHNOWITZ, Introducing Evidence of Contamination and Offsetting Cost of Remediation in Determining Fair Market Value for Eminent Domain Awards: A Review of Interrelationship Between Environmental and Acquisition Law

1995
G. KENT WOODMAN, JANE SUTTER STARKE, and LESLIE D. SCHWARTZ, Transit Labor Protection – A Guide to Section 13(c), Federal Transit Act

1994
MICHAEL C. BLUMM, Highways and the Environment: Resource Protection and the Federal Highway Program

1992
ROSS D. NETHERTON, Legal Aspects of Historic Preservation in Highway and Transportation Programs

1991
KENNETH G. NELLIS, The Public Duty Defense to Tort Liability

1990
KATHLEEN F. BRICKEY, Civil RICO Applications in the Highway Construction Industry

1988
DANIEL R. MANDELKER and ANNETTE B. KOLIS, Legal Techniques for Reserving Right-of-Way for Future Projects Including Corridor Protection

1985
LARRY W. THOMAS, collective writings, Selected Studies in Highway Law

1984
JULES B. GERARD, First Amendment Aspects of Control of Outdoor Advertising

1983
ORRIN F. FINCH, The Effects of Federal and State Public Information Acts on Highway and Transportation Department Activities

1982
RICHARD W. BOWER, Legal Aspects of Historic Preservation in Highway and Transportation Programs

1981
WALTER A. McFARLANE, State Highway Programs Versus the Spending Powers of Congress

1980
JAMES F. ZOTTER, Claims Arising Out of Subsurface and Other Unforeseen Conditions

1979
JOHN P. HOLLOWAY, Recent Developments in the Law of Inverse Condemnation

1978
JOHN C. VANCE, editor, Selected Studies in Highway Law, Volumes 1, 2, and 3

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