The Texas Transportation Commission has approved the use of 3.5 million USD to maintain the operation of the Heartland Flyer Amtrak service between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.
The decision confirms the Regional Transportation Council’s (RTC) action in July to allocate regional revenue for Texas’ share of the line’s costs.
The 206-mile passenger rail route, jointly funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, has been in service since 1999. Its continuation was in question after TxDOT’s funding request was excluded from the state budget earlier this year.
NCTCOG Director of Transportation Michael Morris said:The Regional Transportation Council and the North Central Texas Council of Governments are grateful to the Texas Transportation Commission for approving use of Regional Revenue funding for the Heartland Flyer.
This interim funding will help secure the future of the Heartland Flyer, which serves as a vital link for both commuters and leisure travelers between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. We extend our thanks to Amtrak, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Transportation Commission and all partners involved in making this historic action happen. We look forward to working with them to build a strong future for passenger rail.
The continuation of service is expected to support travel for major events in the Dallas–Fort Worth region, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Amtrak has also confirmed that the train will operate in time for the annual Red River college football game between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma on 11 October at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
This marks the second intervention by the RTC this year to sustain the Heartland Flyer. In January, the Council authorised up to 100,000 USD in regional funding to cover a potential shortfall through the end of the fiscal year.
Jennifer Mitchell, Amtrak Executive Vice President said;On behalf of our Amtrak guests who count on daily Heartland Flyer trains, we thank the Texas Transportation Commission for approving the state’s share of funding of the service from the North Central Texas Council of Governments and its Regional Transportation Council. “We will work with the Commission, TxDOT, NCTCOG and other interested parties in Texas for a longer-term state funding solution. More than 80,000 passengers rode this service last year, up by 11-percent from the previous 12 months, on trains that are an economic benefit to both Texas and Oklahoma.
