US Edition
Texas-Oklahoma Rail Route in Jeopardy After Lawmakers Cut Financial Support
- Texas lawmakers approved a $338 billion budget last week that did not include funding for the Heartland Flyer train connecting Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.
- Oklahoma officials and lawmakers urged Texas to fund the train, while Texas Rail Advocates warned of potential service discontinuance due to the funding gap.
- The Heartland Flyer, operated by Amtrak and co-funded by Oklahoma, carried nearly 82,000 riders last year with ridership rising nearly 14%, supported partially by a $100,000 boost in February.
- Texas Rail Advocates highlighted that the train contributed nearly $24 million to the economy and emphasized its significance for students, daily commuters, and tourists traveling between the two states.
- Without Texas funding, the Heartland Flyer’s future remains uncertain as Oklahoma refuses to cover Texas’s share, and alternative funding discussions continue on local and state levels.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Heartland Flyer facing permanent suspension after Texas legislature declines funding
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The Heartland Flyer, Oklahoma's only Amtrak train route, is facing permanent suspension after Texas lawmakers declined to fund its share of the route's budget. Since June 14, 1999, the Heartland Flyer has provided daily routes between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. The Heartland Flyer is a jointly funded partnership between ODOT and TXDOT, using each state's tax dollars. Passenger train between OKC, Fort Worth c…
Full steam ahead for Trinity Railway Express after Texas funding cuts fail
The Trinity Railway Express commuter train that links downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas will keep rolling along.The popular train, launched in 1996, had been threatened by state legislation that sought a 25% decrease in transit funding, but House Bill 3187 and Senate Bill 1557 that targeted Dallas Area Rapid Transit failed during the Texas Legislature. The nearly identical bills would have reduced contributions from member cities by 25%. “…
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