But Ms. Herndon was living and working in New York City, and Mr. Edwards had roots in the capital. They knew it would take more than texting each other kissy-face and heart-eye emojis to bring them together.

Then a white-and-green, 56-seat Cupid rolled into their lives: A charter bus that Ms. Herndon found both aesthetically pleasing and affordable. Now she can visit her “little honey bunny” — her words — nearly every weekend for rarely more than $25 each way (prices can start at $5) — without having to endure what she has experienced, she said, on other bus lines: Overcrowding, crumpled fast-food wrappers on seats, or neglected, smelly bathrooms.

Ms. Herndon and Mr. Edwards, who are both 43, aren’t alone. Many long-distance couples are relying on affordable, tech-oriented bus services to see each other regularly, turning the Jersey Turnpike into a freeway of love.

“We noticed via our internal technology that a lot of riders take the first bus after work on Friday, and then take the last bus home Sunday evening,” said Axel Hellman, a co-founder of OurBus, the company favored by Ms. Herndon (and others in this article) for its cleanliness, perks and unique routes. “And then we noticed that they do this every single weekend.”

When Grace Gardner met Autumn Trowbridge on a Tinder date in Washington, she was immediately smitten with the brunette she describes as “the most special person I’ve ever met.” But when it came time for college, Ms. Gardner, 22, enrolled at Baruch, in New York City. Ms. Trowbridge, meanwhile, remained in Washington, at George Washington University. They are a four-hour bus ride apart.