A Cactus 182 means that is probably also sold as "US182"...
With exception of flight 1771 (as I mentioned in another posting) and its unique circumstances, I suppose the flight number of a predecessor carrier might be excluded from being retired. Still any airline running a flight 182 to SAN, even after so many years....
A PSA182 side note: As many readers of this forum know, nearly 40 PSA employees perished in that crash. PSA was conducting interline procedures training (before 1978 PSA did not interline and flew only within Calif) and agents from around the system were heading to the training center near SAN.
For some reason, a group of agents from SFO had been booked via LAX onto 182, instead of nonstop. As the 0700 SFO-LAX flight was being pushed back, the pushback driver exceeded the nose gear swing limit and broke the shear pin on tow bar. For some reason, it took a while to hook up a new tow bar and the SFO contingent missed the connection to 182.
The guy driving the pushback did not have to pay for his drinks for years!