Parents whose kids have gone to isolated colleges, how has it been?

Agree with #37.
Also:
If your school is within a 5 (or whatever) hour drive of your home they will likely be getting to/from home by car at least some of the time. Car is often the preferred choice of transportation, where it is available and feasible.

If the school is large, and your destination is a significantly sized metro area within ready driving distance, there is a decent chance that ride share opportunities will be available. Also if your school is large they may offer other transportation options. For example my alma mater runs its own buses multiple times a day direct from its campus to mid-town Manhattan.