Virginia TechTransportation Summary

Written by Heather Priestley

Heather Priestley

Hometown

Toano, VA

Major

Wildlife Science

View all previous student authors

Virginia Tech has a large campus spread across 2,600 acres. In the middle of campus lies the Drillfield with buildings, dorms, and dining halls surrounding it. To walk from a class on one side of the campus to the other side usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Blacksburg Transit (BT) is the bus system that services Virginia Tech students and the residents of Blacksburg. Students show their student ID (Hokie Passport) in order to ride a bus; the fee is included in tuition. The Hokie Express BT route ferries Tech students around the Drillfield and to other parts of campus. Other BT routes go out to most of the apartment complexes off campus, as well as to the University Mall (location of the Math Emporium) and to the Wal-Mart in Christiansburg. Still, many students get used to walking around campus and downtown Blacksburg, or they choose bikes over riding the bus.

On the weekends, the BT is the most used way to get to parties, but bus service ends around 2 a.m. Students can also get around to parties using designated drivers provided by the fraternities, or by calling a cab. Hooptie Ride is a cab company specially designed for college students. For trips home or to other universities, Virginia Tech has the Home Ride service. This bus is only available for college students and picks riders up on campus in front of the library or Cassell Coliseum. This bus service takes students to Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Richmond, Tidewater, and Northern Virginia. Students at Tech rave about the BT, since it's usually much easier to take the bus than to try parking on campus.