Texas Transportation Commission Approves Use of $3.5 Million For Heartland Flyer
8/21/2025
Decision confirms Regional Transportation Council’s July action to use regional funding for Texas’ share
Arlington, Texas – The Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday approved the Regional Transportation Council’s decision in July to commit $3.5 million to keep the Heartland Flyer rolling. The action allows the Amtrak line linking Fort Worth and Oklahoma City to continue operating for the next year after facing the possibility of running out of funding.
The Amtrak service, which has operated since 1999, faced the possibility of ending after the Texas Department of Transportation’s funding request was not included in the state’s final budget. The 206-mile route is jointly funded by TxDOT and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
“The Regional Transportation Council and the North Central Texas Council of Governments are grateful to the Texas Transportation Commission for approving use of Regional Toll Revenue funding for the Heartland Flyer,” NCTCOG Director of Transportation Michael Morris, P.E., said. “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 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.”
Amtrak welcomed the Texas Transportation Commission’s approval of funding for the Heartland Flyer.
“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,” said Jennifer Mitchell, Amtrak Executive Vice President. “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.”
The funding is also good news for special events hosted in the Dallas-Fort Worth area like the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
“We are also happy to announce continued Heartland Flyer service in time for our tradition of welcoming guests to ride Amtrak to and from the annual Red River rivalry game between the UT Longhorns and OU Sooners on Oct. 11 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas,” Mitchell said.
This is the second time in recent months the RTC has stepped in with funding to keep the Heartland Flyer operating. In January, the RTC approved up to $100,000 in Regional Toll Revenue funding to cover a potential shortfall through the end of the fiscal year.
About the Regional Transportation Council:
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The MPO works in cooperation with the region’s transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties. The RTC’s 45 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers. More information can be found at NCTCOG.org.
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