The AFVi gave awards to a variety of individuals and organizations for top leadership in the alternative fuels and vehicles industry, as part of the 15th national Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference + Expo 2009. Those receiving the awards have shown excellence in advancing the use of alternative fuels, vehicles or new technologies that provide an alternative to petroleum.

The 2009 AFVi winners include: 20/20 Vision Award: to the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), the world's 5th- largest seaport complex working with drayage truck owners to replace old trucks that can cut truck related air pollution by 80% by 2012; Golden Bullet Award: to Joe Jobe, the true unifier for the national effort to unite the biodiesel industry to promote the use of biodiesel in our nation's fleets; Green Fleet Award: to Victor La Rosa, President of Total Transportation Services, Inc. (TTSI), the first to operate a full-time drayage service at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with AFVs. TTSI has invested $15 million in LNG trucks and is working to replace 1/2 of its 300-truck fleet with AFVs, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, and NOX by 70% compared to the diesel vehicles being replaced. Green Giant Award: T. Boone Pickens, who launched "Pickens Plan", using a social networking campaign that has attracted 1.4 million supporters to focus attention on wind, solar and natural gas transportation. Invention and Innovation Award (Heavy-Duty): President and COO Michael Gallagher, of Westport Innovations, a leading developer of advanced engines that run on natural gas and other gaseous fuels and the commitment to the development of alternative energy and environmental cleanup technologies.Invention and Innovation Awa rd (Light-Duty): Toyota Prius came to the U.S. marketplace in 2001 and changed the makeup of the world's fleet of vehicles. It's now sold in more than 40 countries and regions and, since it was first introduced in the United States, more than 1.2 million Prius have been sold worldwide. The 2010 Prius gets 50 MPG. Toyota plans to introduce ten new hybrid models globally by 2012 and has set the bar for eco-supremacy. Oxygen Award: The Blue Bird VISION, the first full-size, dedicated propane-powered school bus to be offered by a major manufacturer in the United States since 2002. It reduces NOx, CO, particulate matter and VOC emissions by as much as 83%-99%. Prescient Pioneer Award: Mike Scarpino, who U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program that facilitates the work of 90 coalitions located in cities throughout the country to assist public and private fleets as they transition to alternative fuels.

--Sue Mead