If Florida is serious about attracting federal dollars to help build a bullet train that would generate jobs for South Florida and millions of dollars from tourists, the state has to first commit to the rail system we already have: TriRail.

Since the commuter train's double-tracking project was completed in 2007, TriRail's been running trains from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties every 20 minutes during morning and evening rush hour. Ridership soared from 7,500 daily riders in 2005 to around 14,000 today. It has greatly improved its on-time performance and, for its size, become the fastest-growing commuter rail in the country.

In other words, TriRail works. And for an Orlando-Miami bullet train to work for South Florida there must be a viable public transit system for passengers to take once they arrive from Orlando. TriRail is that connector.

But the state hasn't done its part to grow TriRail, which, like all mass transit, needs a dedicated source of revenue. This year, as in the past, Florida lawmakers reneged on approving such funding. The latest proposal was a sensible surcharge on rental cars, which was defeated, but South Florida legislators have promised to bring it back next session.

The three county governments that TriRail serves also reneged on contributing their fare share to the commuter train -- $1 million each for operating costs.

These leadership failures have been disastrous. TriRail has hiked fares 25 percent and cut back service. The federal government, which financed the double tracking, is threatening to pull its funding if the system can't maintain the full service promised after the track project was completed.

Forced to shut down

If the dedicated funding source isn't found, TriRail could be forced to shut down. What a travesty that would be at the same time the state is trying to convince the feds it deserves stimulus money to build a bullet train.

Florida is in the running for billions in federal stimulus dollars to build a bullet train. Of the two available routes, the Orlando to Miami corridor is more financially viable than the Tampa-Orlando line and has the advantage of having mass transit -- TriRail and Metrorail -- at its terminus in Miami.

It's been made perfectly clear that if Florida doesn't fund TriRail officials shouldn't expect bullet-train money. State officials may well hear exactly that when Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visits Orlando Oct. 5 at the invitation of Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Jacksonville.

Drum up support

Broward and Miami-Dade mayors and commissioners and business leaders need to be at that meeting to drum up support for the Orlando-Miami route, yet some weren't even aware of the meeting when contacted by the Editorial Board last week.

With Mr. LaHood's visit in mind, Ms. Brown visited South Florida during Congress' August recess to rally support for the bullet train and to advocate for a vital link to its success: Tri-Rail funding.

The feds have invested $500 million in TriRail, and they expect the state and local governments to keep their part of the bargain. This is a crucial test for Florida as far as federal transit authorities are concerned.

Once high speed rail looked like a very long shot in Florida. No more. The state can take home the prize -- meaningful federal dollars -- if it backs the right route and proves that it can keep its financial commitments to mass transit. Both would go a long way toward improving the lives of current and future Floridians.

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