August 9, 2024 - TRA and Transportation for America Commentary -

Recent passenger rail efforts in the Gulf Coast demonstrated tireless commitment to federal advocacy, state partnerships, funding development, and ultimately service implementation. But if our leaders are truly interested in advancing a state and national passenger rail network, they can take action now to support future efforts.

It’s clear that the 2021 federal infrastructure law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA) unlocked a treasure trove of resources for advancing passenger rail in Texas and throughout the United States, yet three years later, there’s still a great deal of progress to be made. This blog shares priorities for ensuring that we are making the most of this unlocked promise and possibility by creating a state and national vision for passenger rail.

National connectivity through state corridor and national network development

Amtrak should continue to maintain and expand the connectivity and geographic coverage of the national network, as stipulated in the language of the IIJA. Texas passenger rail corridors now under study by the Texas Department of Transportation that serve urban and rural cities must be advanced, judged by performance standards appropriate to the region served and type of service provided.

Establish dedicated funding at the state and national level

Unlike public transit, aviation, and highways, passenger rail does not receive a dedicated source of revenue to build out its service either at the state or national level. Instead, Amtrak relies on annual appropriations, which occur once each fiscal year. Our passenger rail network is living paycheck to paycheck, and that’s no way to invest in a long-term vision. It's even more dire in Texas as passenger rail projects must look for  change in the sofa cushions of the TxDOT transportation budget.  

In order to expand state and national network to its full potential, passenger rail needs to be treated as a service that has a future. Congress and the Texas legislature should set up a dedicated source of revenue for the development of passenger rail.

Texas deserves a revolving passenger rail fund, similar to what has been passed in Kansas. 

Encourage innovation

There are many private providers that, if given the opportunity, could lend their services and expertise to developing a robust passenger rail network. However, because Amtrak is the only passenger rail provider that can utilize the nation’s existing network of freight rail lines, it’s currently the only viable option to expand passenger rail across the country and in Texas corridors such as in the I-35, I-45 and I-10 travel footprint.

Extending the right-of-access to at least three providers would help spur innovation in passenger rail expansion, introducing new approaches, ideas, and competition. In addition, allowing freight or private providers to be eligible for federal funding for long distance and state corridor service could further propel expansion.

Representation on the Amtrak Board of Directors and creating a Texas Passenger Rail Advisory Committee at TxDOT 

Amtrak’s existing board is not reflective of the geographic diversity of the communities across the nation that it serves or the types of service provided. An unrepresentative board prevents Amtrak from developing and advocating for strategic priorities that represent the interests of all of Amtrak’s users. The guidance laid out in the IIJA for representation on Amtrak’s board should be implemented and enforced.

TxDOT has an aviation advisory committee, a public transit advisory committee, a port authority advisory committee, a freight advisory committee, and even a bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee. Passenger rail, a unique mode of corridor and network transportation deserves a committee of advisors to help steer the future of rail travel and development at TxDOT. 

An upcoming opportunity in Washington and Austin

The 2021 infrastructure law is set to expire in 2026. At that point, our nation’s leaders will need to pass a new law, called the surface transportation reauthorization, to further enhance our nation’s transportation system. Reauthorization will present a monumental opportunity to reassert a consolidated vision for national passenger service. But we should be clear: there’s no need to wait. To make the most of the 2021 infrastructure law’s investments, our leaders can and should begin making progress on the priorities listed above right now.

The Texas legislature will meet in a biannual session starting January 2025. Now is the time to develop the means to create a Passenger Rail Revolving Fund to make sure that we can move Texans in the future by road, by air, by water and even more by the efficient use of railways. 

Photo credit: Trinity Metro