Notorious party bus “Cabbie D” struck on E 116th Street and Shaker Boulevard
Party bus, Cabbie D, suffers from multiple damages including a dislodged bumper and a shattered windshield.
May 24, 2023
At approximately 7:00 pm on Fri., May 19, a blue party bus colloquially known as “Cabbie D” by many in the JCU community, was struck by an oncoming vehicle on E 116th Street and Shaker Boulevard, forcing the bus to collide with a telephone pole on the side of the road. No serious injuries were reported at the time of the collision. However, FOX 8 stated that “witnesses from the scene say several people were hurt in the collision, along with the bus driver.”
For multiple years at John Carroll, Cabbie D (also known as David Aikens) has functioned as a means of informal transportation to and from various locations around Cleveland including The Flats, Coventry Rd. and other assorted establishments near campus; the party bus is traditionally considered a cheap alternative to other ride sharing platforms like Uber and Lyft. Many past and current students consider Cabbie D to be a staple pillar of the JCU experience with a Society 19 article calling the experience a “rite of passage” for John Carroll collegiates.
“What I do is I provide sort of like a shuttle service for anyone who doesn’t want to drink and drive,” Cabbie D told The Carroll News in a piece published in 2014. “It’s sort of like the RTA.”
Yet, some have their reservations about the services Cabbie D offers. Previously, on Sept. 3, 2016, the John Carroll University Police Department’s Facebook account posted that Cabbie D was an unsanctioned method of university transportation as it is “an unsafe method of commuting around town.” They continued by stating that “thefts and assaults are not uncommon on Cabbie D. One poor choice can influence your school year and possibly your life. Cabbie D Party Bus is probably not the right choice.”
This crash this past Friday was not the first time that Cabbie D was in a vehicular collision. In 2009, Cabbie D “sideswiped a JCU student’s vehicle” and was “cited with failure to maintain control by the University Heights Police Department.”
Currently, there is a GoFundMe organized that has raised $1,350 to cover damages from the crash. The organizer of the fundraiser, Grace Goodlin ’23, stated in the GoFundMe’s description that Cabbie D is a “a well known friend and valued member of the JCU community.”
“The JCU members on Cabbie and us thought it would be appreciated if we could raise some money to help Cabbie D get back on his feet,” the description continues. “He has done so much for us over our years at Carroll and this is a way for him to feel supported at this time.”
