Thousands of students rely each day on one of the largest university transportation systems in the country to get to class and around campus at Rutgers University.

The system spans five campuses in New Brunswick and Piscataway and includes bus service that also operates in Newark and Camden.

“Everyone has to use the transportation system at some point during the day if they are going to classes, unless all of their classes are on campus,” said John Karakoglou, Rutgers University’s director of transportation.

The bus network is the second-largest transit system in New Jersey, behind only New Jersey Transit.

With campuses spread miles apart, walking between locations is often not practical, leaving buses as the primary option for many students.

During the afternoon rush, the busiest time of day, Rutgers operates 51 buses between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to meet demand.

“You always have a driver who has direct communication with our dispatch,” Karakoglou said. “It’s the easiest way to get around campus. It is the lifeline of the campus.”

Students said the system can be crowded, especially during peak hours.

“It comes in handy,” said senior Michelle Liloa. “It’s just fighting for the bus, but I’ve learned when you should take it.”

Freshman Hailie Perez said the experience can be stressful but manageable.

“It’s always jam-packed, and honestly that is true, but it’s manageable,” Perez said.

The university also offers other transportation options, including electric scooters available by the ride and bicycles offered for a per-semester cost.

“For a short ride, sometimes it’s easier to take a bicycle through town during rush hour,” Karakoglou said.

Students can also track buses using the Passio Go app, which provides real-time locations and passenger counts.

“If you touch on any bus, it will tell you the number of passengers that are on it,” Karakoglou said.