The Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Award highlights a taxicab driver who serves Chicago’s community of people with disabilities by driving a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) taxicab and providing exemplary customer service to passengers. WAV taxicab drivers provide a critical service for people with disabilities by increasing accessible transportation options throughout Chicago.

Annually, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) recognizes outstanding taxicab drivers for displaying exemplary service to people with disabilities. The award recipients are each awarded a free Chicago taxicab medallion to place a wheelchair accessible vehicle into service as a taxicab. 

2022 Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Award Ceremony

On November 2, 2022, BACP, along with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), presented the Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Award to 10 local taxicab drivers in recognition of their premier customer service and dedication to riders with disabilities.

These 10 taxicab chauffeurs responded to and completed over 3,500 WAV trips in 2020 and over 2,800 WAV trips in 2021 requested through the Centralized WAV Taxicab Dispatch Service.

The 2022 Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Award recipients are:

• Abdirahman J. Elmi
• Andre T. Moore
• Bakri K. Mohamed
• Charles G. Martin
• Julius J. Osunde
• Michael E. Peavy
• Olanrewaju O. Olorunfunmi
• Richard A. Essien
• Salah J. Askar
• Taabit G. Hersi 

The awards ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022, at the Central West Community Center, located at 2102 W. Ogden Avenue. The recipients are chosen by the Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Award Committee, made up of BACP, MOPD, and representatives from Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Equip for Equality, the Selfhelp Home, Gridiron Alliance, and LiveEquipd. The committee reviews nominations by the public and carefully considers each of them before selecting a recipient of the award.