Florida budget cuts threaten Tri-Rail's future

[marmar]

Tri-Rail is facing a financial emergency that could put it out of business by the end of next year, and officials are scrambling to convince the state to restore funding before it’s too late.

Tri-Ral carries 4.4 million commuters a year to and from locations in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. While it pales in comparison to the public transit systems of major metropolitan areas like New York, Chicago and Washington D.C., it represents an irreplaceable lifeline for its users in South Florida.

“It’s extremely important to those who don’t have cars and who rely totally on Tri-Rail to go their jobs, to go to the store, to those who can’t afford any other type of transportation,” said Broward County Commissioner Lamar Fisher, who sits on the governing board of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Tri-Rail.

In the budget passed last month by the Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state’s share of funding for Tri-Rail plummeted from $42 million a year to $15 million. Earlier this year, David Dech, the executive director for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, warned the three county governments that they will need to contribute $10 million a year each to offset a looming budget shortfall caused by the expiration of federal stimulus payments that have helped keep Tri-Rail afloat. ............(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/news/55305551/fl-florida-budget-cuts-threaten-tri-rails-future