BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Juan Jose Flores Jr. started J N J Shuttles to prevent others from experiencing the tragedy that struck his family. His transportation service connects Valley Plaza in Bakersfield to Hard Rock Casino Tejon, offering a safe alternative to driving under the influence.
Flores launched his business after losing his cousin in a head-on collision caused by a reckless driver.
"I had the idea to start the business was because my cousin lost her life due to a head on collision for a reckless driver, so we just don't want anybody to have to deal with that trauma or, you know, go through that," Flores said.
The timing of his business launch coincides with increased efforts to combat impaired driving in Kern County. In December 2025, the Kern County District Attorney's Office received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to address this issue. The KCDA filed over 3,500 DUI cases in 2025.
Flores believes his shuttle service is making a positive impact in the community. In a short time, he has expanded his client base throughout Kern County.
"We take you from sitting in the hills all the way to the casino, which is almost like an hour drive, and we'll still charge you the same. That's, like, the beauty of the business is trying to be accessible and inclusive to everybody, no matter where you live or how far from the casino you are," Flores said.
Bakersfield resident Vicky Moreno regularly uses the shuttle service and appreciates its reliability and consistent pricing.
"It's convenient, convenient because you know that it's going to be there. Uber can sometimes, depending on the vehicle that you get, they range the prices. This is a set price, and you can count on them," Moreno said.
Moreno values knowing the service is operated by someone invested in the local community.
"It's nice to know that it's someone local, someone that's lived in Bakersfield, that knows the community, that cares for their community, and it's always available," Moreno said.
Flores has ambitious expansion plans for J N J Shuttles.
"Hopefully we've expanded and we have maybe buses that can run around the city or that can take people to the casino where they where it's a structured a structured element," Flores said.
Starting Feb. 1 J N J Shuttles will run every hour and only charge $10 per person.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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