Transit Chiefs Scramble to Fill Gap as Aztec Buses Halt Suddenly

Aztec Bus Lines, one of the county’s oldest charter bus companies, has closed without warning, causing a scramble among county transit officials Thursday to replace the firm’s buses on two East County routes used by about 600 people a day.

The Spring Valley bus company has apparently filed for protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code as a result of a National Labor Relations Board ruling against the company that required it to rehire 75 former employees and pay back wages reportedly amounting to several million dollars.

Aztec owner James Pike of Los Angeles did not return phone calls to his office Thursday, but, according to a company letter faxed to county transit officials Thursday morning, the firm has filed under Chapter 7 bankruptcy provisions and is no longer in business.

The letter was the first formal notice county transit officials received about the closure. A bus driver tipped off county officials late Wednesday that the company was planning to close shortly before midnight.

The tip sent officials on a last-minute scramble to find replacement minibuses for two East County routes serviced by Aztec through a contract with the county.

“Needless to say, we were not real excited” about having to find replacements on about four hours’ notice, said Larry Watt, a principal transportation specialist for the county.

One route, No. 864, carries passengers from Alpine to El Cajon, and the other, No. 856, takes people from Cuyamaca Community College through Spring Valley and Lemon Grove to the Marketplace at the Grove shopping center. Buses begin picking up passengers as early as 4:57 a.m.

The county contacted Community Transit Services Inc., which also has a county contract to provide bus service on other routes, and the company provided replacement buses and drivers. Watt estimated that the two lines had 90% to 95% service, and full service should be restored by this morning.

Aztec entered into a contract with the county in April, 1988. The contract runs through June, 1991. Watt said Aztec had met its obligations under the contract and had provided adequate service on the two East County lines.

Community Transit Services has agreed to a short-term, stopgap contract to operate the two routes. The county, Watt said, will negotiate a long-term contract with the company.

People answering the phone at Aztec offices declined to comment on the closure, referring calls to Pike in Los Angeles. Pike, who reportedly owns and operates other bus lines outside San Diego, bought Aztec in late 1986.

Aztec was once one of San Diego’s largest charter companies, with a fleet of buses and contracts with government agencies, providing service ranging from the San Diego Unified School District and unincorporated areas of East County to the cities of Poway, La Mesa, Santee and El Cajon.

Festering problems between management and the union representing the company’s bus drivers, however led to a long and bitter strike 10 years ago, labor claims, lawsuits and a retrenchment.

The NLRB ruling calling on Aztec to rehire workers and pay back wages was made last July.