The Outstanding Section Award is presented to the Section that does the most to serve its members and advance transportation engineering within its geographical area during the preceding year. Judging is based on an annual report submitted by each Section to outline its membership, technical, education and professional development accomplishments.

In 1999, the award was divided into two groups (Group I for the four larger sections and Group II for the four smaller sections). Group I is comprised of the Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Sections. Group II consists of the Alabama, Deep South, Kentucky and South Carolina Sections.