Bullet Train Speeds Closer

Speeding forward: 205 MPH bullet train between Houston and Dallas plans its routes in $10 billion project

The privately funded bullet train that aims to connect Houston and Dallas is continuing to move forward. Now, several potential rail routes between the two cities have been revealed.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) released maps of nine potential routes, although only two routes were "selected for detailed evaluation." Evaluating potential routes is only one step in a federally mandated Environmental Impact Statement process to assess the rail line, a process that could take several years to complete.

According to existing rail codes, the project's backers — who are paying for the evaluations — would have to purchase the properties that the proposed 205 MPH rail would run through from the companies or agencies which currently own them.

Tickets to take the 90-minute train trip between Houston and Dallas will be competitive with airlines.

The first public meeting addressing the project, held by officials from both the FRA and TxDOT, took place in Dallas on Tuesday. The meeting drew unanimous support, according to the Texas Tribune, but also comments from both residents and officials stating that selecting the right location for stations is of the utmost importance.

When considering the route in terms of Houston, the decision revolves around which of the two routes are chosen. One runs through Tomball and comes along Loop 610 while heading south, while the other connects with Cypress and follows U.S. 290 to the city's center.

Of the land needed by Texas Central Railway (TCR), most of it is flat, meaning costs for tunnels and overpasses would be kept to a minimum. The project will cost upward of $10 billion according to estimates and its backers hope to have it completed by 2021. To offset the substantial cost, TCR — and some of the project's powerful allies — have said that tickets to take the 90-minute train trip between Houston and Dallas will be competitive with airlines.

More public meetings are planned, including a final meeting in Houston on Oct. 29 at NRG Center.

The proposed routes between Houston and Dallas that are not being considered for detailed evaluation.

Houston Dallas bullet train routes all proposed

dallashoustonhsr.com

The proposed routes between Houston and Dallas that are not being considered for detailed evaluation.

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Hail yeah

Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi service gears up to hit Houston roads

Photo courtesy of Zoox

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Amazon-owned robotaxi ride-hailing service Zoox is zooming into Houston later this month, becoming the latest robotaxi operator jockeying for local riders.

Initially, self-driving retrofitted SUVs with safety drivers on board will serve downtown Houston, centrally located tourist hotspots, and certain residential neighborhoods. The SUVs will test Houston roads before Zoox rolls out autonomous robotaxis here, the company says.

Zoox takes Houston for a test drive

At the outset, Zoox says, a limited number of vehicles will be driven by people to gather data about Houston roads.

“This helps create a detailed picture of each street, from road geometry to traffic lights,” the company says. “Once we have mapped out an area, we will test autonomous driving capabilities. Safety and operational readiness govern the pace of our rollout.”

Zoox says its robotaxi differs from vehicles operated by other ride-hailing services.

The robotaxi “is purpose-built for autonomous ride-hailing and designed for riders from day one,” the company says. “It has no traditional driving controls and instead has carriage-style seating, sliding glass doors, and features that let the rider personalize their journey.”

Along with Houston, Zoox is launching this month in San Diego. The ride-hailing service already operates in Austin, Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Zoox breaks into “sprawling” Houston market

Zoox describes Houston as its “most sprawling market to date.”

“Driving here means navigating complex service-road networks, unique merging scenarios, and challenging environmental conditions, including severe heat, heavy rain, and urban flooding,” the company says. “It’s a rigorous test of our technology across geography and terrain.”

Zoox will join two other autonomous ride-hailing services in Houston:

Waymo began rolling in Houston in February. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, owns Waymo.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla began offering robotaxi services earlier this year.

A third Zoox competitor is arriving within the next year. A partnership comprising rideshare provider Uber, EV manufacturer Lucid, and autonomous technology company Nuro plans to launch a robotaxi service in Houston by mid-2027.