April 10, 2026 - KFOR.com - 

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – While talking budget on the House floor Thursday, Oklahoma lawmakers said that they can’t subsidize the Heartland Flyer anymore.

Texas had not put aside funding for the passenger rail, so Oklahoma more than likely won’t be footing part of the bill.

“The state of Texas is saying they don’t want to fund it, so I don’t think it should be on the state of Oklahoma to subsidize it and keep it alive,” said Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Appropriations Chair).

Lawmakers have discussed cutting ties with funding for the Heartland Flyer before. It has been a back-and-forth conversation over the years.

Read more and video: https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-could-cut-financial-ties-with-heartland-flyer/

Editor's note:

Oklahoma Rep. Caldwell is not correct. "Texas" did not cut funding. The Senate Finance Chair Joan Huffman zeroed out funding from the TxDOT budget for (as we have been told) "philosophical reasons" but the North Central Texas Council of Governments stepped in to fill the gap.

Cutting the daily Heartland Flyer from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City puts over 80,000 passengers back out on I-35, cuts ground transportation options, and means cities and towns benefiting from the economic lift of the Flyer will lose out on millions of dollars.

Drive-By "Limousine Legislators" in both states need to drill down to the economic benefits that this interstate train service provides to both states and its citizens.

Resurfacing 1 mile of a 2-lane interstate roadway costs roughly $3.5 million. That's what Texas's share of support of the 206 mile long Heartland Flyer costs. Resurfacing 1 mile of a 2-lane interstate.