States, Amtrak plead to Congress for rail funding
Asking for at least $2 billion over five years, an Amtrak-led alliance of states requests that Congress allot grant money for major intercity rail lines.
Amtrak and 29 states implored Congress this week to create a pilot program to help pay for the expansion of intercity rail lines.
Currently, very few federal funds are available for major intercity train corridors such as the San Francisco-Sacramento line in California and the Chicago-St. Louis line through Illinois.
Similar intercity highway projects can receive up to 80% federal funding, with a 20% local match.
Amtrak, which operates many of the rail lines in question, helped state representatives organize a protest and carve out a proposal for $2 billion to $3 billion over five years, which it says will have a huge impact.
Amtrak, meanwhile, sent a $1.8 billion budget request of its own to Congress for fiscal year 2005 as part of a five-year recovery program.
President Bush has proposed scaling back direct funding to Amtrak, which is getting $1.2 billion this fiscal year, to under $1 billion.
More Rail
OKC Streetcar Makes Zero-Fare Service Permanent
Ridership increased an average of 71% compared with the same period a year earlier during the fare-free pilot.
Read More →
DART Customer Satisfaction Reaches Six-Year High
Overall satisfaction rose to 74.9%, while the agency’s Net Promoter Score reached a record 33.7.
Read More →
How DART's GoPass Is Redefining Regional Mobility
Serving 14 transit agencies, GoPass simplifies multimodal travel by allowing riders to plan, pay for, and manage an entire trip through one app.
Read More →
Amtrak Board Advances Plan to Restructure Organization, Seeks Public Input
The proposal, developed by Amtrak management and approved by the board for further consideration, is intended to modernize the organization's structure while improving accountability, operational efficiency, and customer service.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: STV teams with Amtrak, Motorcoach Operators Boost Fleet and Land Contracts, and More
From manufacturers and suppliers to transit agencies and motorcoach operators, these updates offer a snapshot of the projects, partnerships and business moves driving the industry forward.
Read More →
Metra Celebrates 100 Years of Electric Rail, Looks to the Future
The event was also a celebration of recent reforms to public transportation in the Chicago area, changes that could be as transformative in the future as the major civic achievement a century ago, said officials.
Read More →
LA Metro Marks Banner Year, Sets Ambitious Goals for New Fiscal Year
Incoming LA Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined outgoing Board Chair Fernando Dutra and LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins to review accomplishments from fiscal year 2026, which included the opening of new rail extensions, advancement of major transit projects, expanded safety programs, and new rider amenities.
Read More →
DART Taps Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. as Next President/CEO
Since 2012, Ford has served as the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Read More →
California High-Speed Rail Authority Signs MOU to Advance High Desert Corridor
The agreement deepens collaboration between the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency, supporting design integration, cost savings, and faster delivery of a key Southern California rail link.
Read More →
Building the Next Generation of Transit Technology
In this edition of METROspectives, Luminator CEO Magnus Friberg discusses the company's transformation, the growing role of AI and software, and what's next for transit technology.
Read More →