Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: WAVForce Incentives Project Grant

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: WAVForce Incentives Project Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehicles
Last Updated: October 21, 2025

Summary

The WAVForce Incentives Project aims to enhance the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in Washington, D.C., by incentivizing drivers and fostering partnerships within the for-hire industry. This initiative, backed by the District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehicles, seeks to ensure 24/7 WAV service availability while promoting self-sustainability through strategic collaborations. By dedicating significant funding towards driver incentives, the project intends to improve operational capacity and service quality for the community.

Overview

About DMPSJ The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (DMPSJ) was reconstituted in 2011 to provide guidance, support and coordination of public safety and justice agencies of the District of Columbia. The role of the agency was expanded to include oversight of service programs that previously operated as independent agencies. DMPSJ provides agency oversight and support for citywide public safety and justice related policies, activities and initiatives under its jurisdiction including: Developing and supporting policies and programs to improve the delivery of services by government agencies and contracted providers;Coordinating interagency activities and initiatives; Identifying opportunities for reducing redundancies, leveraging resources, creating economies of scale, and improving outcomes; Ensuring compliance with local and federal mandates; and Collecting and disseminating performance data for agency activities and initiatives. Each year the Mayor's administration distributes $7 million dollars in funding to qualified community-based organizations (CBOs) in the District of Columbia through the outreach offices of the Mayor’s Office on Community Affairs (MOCA). These outreach offices manage community grant programs and work with grantees to implement programs focused on the Mayor’s priorities for District residents. Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: WAVForce Incentives Project Goal The goal of this grant is to incentivize the WAV driver workforce and to create partnerships across the for-hire industry to sustain requested WAV services throughout the District of Columbia, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. While DFHV intends to assist in the early stage of development and growth of the project, ultimately, the WAV workforce project must be self-sustaining; thus, the need to partner with taxicab companies and associations to expand WAV services. To make the most efficient use of grant funds, a minimum of 50% of the funds will be dedicated to drivers’ incentives and growth of the project. DFHV will lead recruitment and training efforts at the guide of the Project Lead. For this project, DFHV aims to improve WAV service by increasing operational wheelchair accessible vehicles and WAV drivers by offering trip incentives, maintenance funds, and monthly raffle winnings directly to drivers or through their company affiliation.

Eligibility

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