Brightline

Brightline experienced a jump in South Florida passengers in January, attracted by lower fares. Long distance ridership was down slightly as average fares rose. It shows the price sensitivity of passengers as Brightline works to accelerate its business and shore up its finances.

Brightline experienced record ridership in December but two credit rating agencies now warn the service may not be able to make its scheduled debt payments in one year.

The first private passenger rail service in more than a century in the U.S. is finding it difficult getting more people to pay higher fares as it works to increase its revenues faster. Brightline faces some big debt payments in 2026. At least one analyst warns of default.

In 1966, 1,700 motor vehicle occupants died at railroad crossings. Nowadays, that number is typically less than 150. Over the same period, the number of vehicles on the road has tripled. By these measures, the risk has fallen by an amazing 97%. What happened?

The parent company of Brightline's Florida passenger rail service named Nicolas Petrovic as CEO. He previously led a major European rail network and comes on board as the Florida business is struggling to grow fast enough.

Today, the Miami Herald and WLRN publish a memorial list of the 196 people struck and killed by Brightline trains in Florida since 2017 — to honor their lives, raise awareness about the deadly Brightline corridor and spark conversations about how public safety can be improved.

Brightline is carrying more passengers throughout its service territory, but ticket revenue from its South Florida-only service remains lower than it was a year ago. The company also updated lenders that it will use reserves to make a debt payment in January.

Florida’s new rules for rail crossings take effect Jan. 1, aimed at reducing the number of drivers and pedestrians killed by trains. But they won’t lead to wholesale change along the deadly Brightline corridor, where 195 people have been killed — the rules are for new projects. Here is a look at the safety solutions experts say could be most effective.

The private passenger train service changed its schedule in October to add more trains and cars for commuters between its South Florida stations. More riders showed up as average fares fell.

Since Brightline launched in 2018, its trains have hit 174 vehicles, killing 25 people and injuring 63 more, an investigation by WLRN and the Miami Herald found. Another 104 people survived without injuries, some by fleeing their cars before impact. “Wounds on your body disappear slowly over time,” one survivor said. “But wounds on the inside? Those you keep.”

A lawsuit that threatens the multi-county coastal link transit project is on ice for now, and elected leaders are pushing ahead with Brightline negotiations.

The private company that promised to be “financially viable on its own” is losing money — and using government subsidies to grow its business. Read the latest installment in the WLRN / Miami Herald series Killer Train.