Ernest Chrappah is an experienced government executive as well as a successful entrepreneur with a reputation for finding innovative solutions to complex challenges. Chrappah was appointed by Washington, DC, Mayor Bowser and confirmed by the City Council in November 2016 to lead the newly established Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) with a mission to ensure residents and visitors have access to safe, affordable, and accessible transportation options.  Chrappah has been instrumental in eliminating unnecessary regulations on businesses; offering grants for 100 % electric vehicles and wheelchair accessible vehicles; creating open APIs; streamlining licensing processes and improving data sharing; and ensuring that the vehicle for-hire industry in Washington, DC, is innovative and inclusive to the various ridesharing platforms.

From July 2012 to October 2013, Chrappah was the Chief of Operations for the DC Taxicab Commission. His responsibilities included supervising the strategic and operations management of industry reform initiatives and internal business process reengineering programs. He provided technical analysis and recommendations on matters of regulatory policy development with a focus on creating an enabling environment for innovation while balancing diverse competing interests, and directed a staff responsible for delivering account management services to over 200 customers a day. Among the projects he oversaw were the successful transition to a noncash payment system, the installation of the universal dome light, the implementation of the uniform color scheme, and an expansion of the wheelchair accessible taxi fleet.