FAQ – Help

You do not need to set up an account prior to browsing or selecting tickets. Account creation occurs automatically during the checkout process when you purchase your first ticket on collegetransit.com.

• Mobile App Access: Use these same website credentials (buyer email and password) to sign into the CollegeTransit Mobile App.
• Buyer-Only Credentials: The app logs in under the ticket buyer’s account and displays all tickets purchased under that account. Multiple devices (e.g., student and parent) can be logged in simultaneously using the same credentials.

The site enforces a limit of one trip per transaction (e.g., Thanksgiving Break). While a single trip order can contain multiple ticket legs or tickets for multiple students, booking tickets for two completely different break periods requires placing two separate transactions.

Registering for a round-trip journey generates three underlying components in our reservation system: the master trip record plus the two individual ticket legs (outbound and return). Your cart reflects these components, but you are only registering for the single round-trip journey. One-way orders show two components.

An order status of “On Hold” typically indicates an initial card payment failure or submission error that was resolved post-submission. CollegeTransit actively monitors and resolves held orders; however, if your order remains “On Hold” for more than 12 hours, please notify us via in-app chat or email (info@collegetransit.com).

Transactional and status emails are sent to account buyers for key account actions. Email notifications include:

• Order Receipts & Details (New Order, Booked)
• Waitlist & Resale Status (Waiting List, Leg Listed for Sale, Leg Sold, Sold, Sell)
• Payment & Status Changes (Refunded Order, Failed Order, Canceled Order)
• Account Maintenance (Customer Note, Reset Password)

Note on Boarding Passes: CollegeTransit is transitioning away from emailing PDF boarding passes in favor of the mobile app. Accessing boarding passes via the mobile app is the primary method on travel days.

Add confirmation@collegetransit.com and info@collegetransit.com to your email account’s Safe Senders list (or equivalent) so our emails are not flagged as spam, and check your spam folder. You can also log into My Account on collegetransit.com to verify your contact information and order status. If your card has been charged and you have not received any emails, contact us at info@collegetransit.com.

Logging into My Account on collegetransit.com allows you to manage:

• Name and Billing Address
• Email Address & Password
• Active Waitlist / Pre-Order Registrations (Self-cancel pending waitlist entries)
• Travel Groups (Create or join a travel group from any order under Orders)
• Account Deletion

Note: If you change your password on the website, the mobile app may ask you to sign in again with your new password after a period of time.

On the My Account login page at collegetransit.com, click “Lost your password?” and follow the instructions. Use your new password to sign into the mobile app as well.

As soon as you complete your booking, a placeholder boarding pass with a QR code is immediately viewable inside the CollegeTransit Mobile App. Waiting List registrations do not have a boarding pass until a seat is confirmed. Your finalized boarding pass (showing your assigned bus number, luggage positions, and updated travel details) becomes available roughly 1 day prior to travel once bus assignments are finalized.

To access your pass on travel day:

1. Open the Mobile App: Log in using your collegetransit.com buyer credentials.
2. View & Save Pass: Navigate to My Pass. Tap “Save PDF Offline” before traveling so your QR code displays without cell signal.

You can form or join a Travel Group (up to 5 passengers sharing identical route legs) directly inside the CollegeTransit Mobile App or via My Account > Orders on collegetransit.com (Travel Group option on each order) before bus assignments begin.

1. One passenger creates a group and receives a unique group code or share link.
2. Friends join the group using that code.
3. Travel Groups act as priority requests during final bus assignments.

Charter buses are contracted based on exact passenger counts. Once a seat is confirmed and charged, refunds are only issued if a student on the waitlist purchases your ticket.

• Round-Trip Ticket Resale: If we resell your full round-trip ticket to a waitlist buyer, your purchase is refunded minus a $25 processing fee.
• Single-Leg Resale / Ticket Conversion: If you surrender one leg of a round-trip ticket and a one-way buyer on the waitlist purchases it, we convert your ticket to a one-way ticket and refund the price difference. The $25 fee does NOT apply.
• How to Request: Cancellation/resale requests must be submitted by replying directly to your original booking confirmation email.

You can cancel an unconfirmed waitlist spot online at any time:

1. Log into your account on collegetransit.com.
2. Go to My Account > Orders.
3. Select “Cancel Waiting List” next to your pending waitlist order.
4. Confirm the cancellation in the popup.

Canceling an unconfirmed waitlist registration drops your credit card authorization hold without capturing funds. Once a waitlist seat is confirmed and charged, standard ticket cancellation rules apply.

Seats open in two ways:

• Adding an Additional Bus (Bulk Confirmation): When enough registrations accumulate to confirm an additional coach, push notifications and emails are sent to waitlisted buyers. Buyers are given a minimum of 24 hours to cancel their registration if plans have changed. If no action is taken, the seat is confirmed and charged automatically.
• Individual Seat Resale (Backfilling Single Seats): When an individual seat opens from a cancellation, CollegeTransit contacts the next person on the waitlist to confirm interest prior to charging.

Backorder indicates a sold-out trip or a pre-order registration.

• Card Authorizations: Placing a waitlist order authorizes your card to verify funds; payment is not captured until a seat is confirmed.
• 29-Day Hold Windows: Banks enforce an automated ~29-day hold limit. If this hold expires before a seat opens, your bank releases the hold (which may generate an automated email stating “partially refunded”). No action is needed; you keep your spot on the waiting list. If a seat later opens, you will need to re-register because payment cannot be captured on an expired authorization.
• Debit Cards: Debit card holds restrict available bank balances. Credit cards are strongly recommended for waitlist entries.

If you use credit card alerts, you may see two alerts from CollegeTransit for a single registration. The first is the card authorization, which validates your card but is not a charge. The second is the actual charge, made once your seat is confirmed.

No. Tickets are strictly non-transferable between individuals or trips.

Please notify us in advance via email (info@collegetransit.com).

• Skipping your outbound leg will NOT void your return leg back to campus.
• Notifying us allows us to put your unused seat up for resale (potentially yielding a partial refund) and prevents delays caused by staff searching for missing passengers at pickup.

One-way travel can be requested or purchased in three ways:

• Email Request: Email info@collegetransit.com with your travel date and endpoints. If space permits, a unique link is provided to complete the reservation.
• Guaranteed Seat Strategy: Families needing a one-way seat can purchase a round-trip ticket and request that the unwanted leg be listed for resale. If sold, the difference is refunded without a $25 fee.
• Website Listings: Individual one-way seats made available via leg resales are published directly on collegetransit.com.

Campus pickup points are located at:

• James Madison University (JMU): Godwin Parking Lot (near bookstore).
• Virginia Tech (VT): VT Transit Center (Perry Street Lot 3 / near Goodwin Hall).

For street addresses, landmarks, and interactive Google Maps links for all destination stops across PA, NJ, and NY, visit the Pick-Up Locations page.

CollegeTransit does not assign seats. Passengers are assigned to a specific bus based on their pickup and drop-off locations. Bus assignments are not final until the day before travel and appear on your boarding pass in the mobile app.

Luggage allowances are strictly enforced:

• Cabin Carry-On: 1 small backpack or personal item that fits in overhead racks or under your seat.
• Cargo Bay: Either 1 large suitcase/duffel OR 2 small suitcases.

Note: Suggestions such as IKEA bags are informal packing recommendations and do not increase overall bag allowances.

Real-time tracking is provided across two platforms:

• In the Mobile App: Passengers tap “Track your bus” to view real-time maps, scheduled stops, and live ETAs specific to their assigned bus.
• On the Homepage: Parents and family members can access public tracking maps and live ETAs on collegetransit.com without requiring an app login.

Schedule modifications are avoided unless required for passenger safety. If travel schedules must change:

• Primary Notification: Push notifications and Home card updates are issued inside the CollegeTransit Mobile App.
• Secondary Communications: Updates are delivered via Email, SMS text alerts, and posted publicly on our website and social media (@collegetransit).

Trips operate on 56-passenger motor coaches provided primarily by Chariots For Hire alongside other safety-inspected charter partners. Buses feature on-board restrooms and typically include Wi-Fi and power outlets. Passengers are advised to charge devices and download materials offline prior to departure. Wi-Fi credentials for your assigned coach are displayed in the mobile app on travel day.

CollegeTransit does not own or operate any of the vehicles, we serve as a travel agent. The primary bus company used for charter bus services is Chariots for Hire. They are one of the major charter bus companies in VA and are regularly inspected by FMCSA (The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). We encourage potential customers to research Chariots for Hire using the FMCSA website or other federal safety websites.

Passengers requiring special assistance should enter their details in the Order Notes during checkout on collegetransit.com and follow up via email (info@collegetransit.com) so appropriate arrangements can be made with the charter partner.

Report lost items via In-App Support Chat (primary) or by emailing info@collegetransit.com. Include a description, your bus number, seating location, and a photo of the item if available. If located, passengers are provided instructions on supplying a pre-paid shipping label to have the item returned.

CollegeTransit services JMU and Virginia Tech during major breaks:

• Fall Break: JMU students only (Northeast Route).
• Thanksgiving Break: JMU and VT across the Northeast Route and Mid-Atlantic Route (King of Prussia, PA & Howell Township, NJ).
• Winter & Spring Breaks: JMU and VT on the Northeast Route.
• Easter: No service offered (falls on a standard weekend).

• JMU Students: Melville, NY is offered on the Northeast Route for all supported breaks (Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring).
• Virginia Tech Students: Melville, NY is offered ONLY during Thanksgiving Break when VT and JMU holiday schedules align. For all other breaks, federal driving-hour limits cap VT routes at Tarrytown, NY.

• New England: Service into CT or MA is not operated due to driver-hour distance constraints requiring dual drivers, which makes ticket pricing prohibitive. New England passengers typically utilize Tarrytown, NY or Morris Plains, NJ.
• Airports: CollegeTransit does not operate airport shuttle routes.

You must arrive at your departure location at least 15 minutes prior to the posted boarding time. Buses depart strictly on schedule and will not wait for missing passengers.

Service is strictly restricted to college students and their invited guests. We do not sell tickets to the general public, maintaining a secure, peer-to-peer travel environment for students.

All coaches are strictly smoke-free and vape-free. We enforce a zero-tolerance policy for abusive or harassing conduct, or any behavior that interferes with the driver or other passengers. Violators will be removed from the coach immediately without a refund.

Because of the travel distance required, some departures inevitably overlap with class schedules. We strongly recommend speaking with your professors as early in the semester as possible to explain that you rely on student break charter transit to get home and request permission to make up any missed coursework. Do not wait until the week of departure or skip class without notifying your instructor.

CollegeTransit’s standard ticket offerings are round-trip. Unless explicitly stated otherwise on a special listing, all published prices reflect full round-trip travel.

We notify past customers directly via email and post public announcements on our social media channels.

Yes. Once you hold a confirmed seat, that bus will run. CollegeTransit never overbooks buses and never cancels a bus due to low passenger interest. Every confirmed ticket corresponds to a guaranteed seat on a luxury motor coach.

We value your privacy. Please view our Privacy Policy for complete details on how we use the information we collect.

This website is protected with SSL (secure socket layer) encryption, the highest standard in Internet security. CollegeTransit LTD also uses PayPal’s Payment Gateway to provide the payment infrastructure and security necessary to ensure fast, reliable and secure transmission of transaction data.