CITY ANNOUNCES VOTING PERIOD FOR ‘CHICAGO’S TOP CABBIE’ CONTEST
Two Week Voting Process Will Determine Winner of Free Taxicab Medallion
The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) today announced the final stage of the citywide competition to find ‘Chicago’s Top Cabbie’. The public is encouraged to vote on the twelve finalists.
“This competition has brought out stories that highlight the quality and hard work of taxi drivers across Chicago”, said BACP Commissioner Maria Guerra Lapacek. “I look forward to taking the next step in this contest and presenting this free medallion and the financial freedom it will provide to Chicago’s Top Cabbie.”
The twelve finalists and their stories will be posted online for voting at www.chitopcabbie.com. The voting period is open to the public from September 16th to September 30th. The prize is a free taxicab medallion.
The competition began in May and was open to the 12,000 taxi chauffeurs who are licensed by the city. BACP promoted the contest through a handful of municipal digital billboards, through the two CHICABS apps, Curb and Arro, as well as on social media. A task force comprised of BACP employees; Judith Frydlund, Commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Buildings; George Lutfallah, Editor of Chicago Dispatch; Efrat Stein of Self Help Home and Bill Kurtis evaluated all nominations and choose the finalists.
An ordinance introduced in City Council earlier this year created the competition with the prize of a free taxicab medallion. The contest was created to build on the success of the Taxicab Driver Excellence Award, which recognizes taxicab drivers who serve the disabled community.
BACP oversees the licensing of Chicago’s public chauffeurs and public vehicles including taxicabs, transportation network providers, liveries, charter and site seeing buses, horse drawn carriages, ambulances, water taxis and tour boats. The department oversees the purchasing of taxicab medallions, vehicle inspections and rates of fare. Learn more about BACP’s Public Vehicle Operations at www.cityofchicago.org/BACP.
