The North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council approved a plan on July 10 to provide Amtrak with $3.5 million to keep the Heartland Flyer running between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth for another year. Earlier this year, Amtrak said that the train would stop running on October 1, unless the State of Texas paid for its portion of the service. As a state-supported train, Texas is legally obligated to help cover the costs of operating the Heartland Flyer. However, the state legislature had not secured the necessary funding to keep the train running. 

The Heartland Flyer debuted in 1999 and carried 80,000 passengers in Fiscal Year 2024, generating $2.2 million in ticket revenue. Amtrak officials noted that the train helps alleviate congestion on one of Texas’ busiest highways. According to an economic analysis, the train produces $5.3 million in direct economic benefits and $23.7 million in overall economic activity.

—Justin Franz