Texas Central, the company building the bullet train between Dallas and Houston, has laid off 28 employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in delays and the timetable for the project now unknown. 

The project, which was expected to be finished in 2026, would take train passengers between Dallas and Houston in 90 minutes and would create over 17,000 jobs in the state. But the pandemic has caused delays. 

“Unfortunately, like many other companies and organizations around the world, we have been forced to make hard decisions in an effort to make the best use of our current funding,” Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said in a statement. “Our core team of experts and planners remain actively engaged and prepared to move this project forward when we have our permits and the financial markets have stabilized.”

While the timetable is unknown, Aguilar said the company is going to continue finalizing permits with its partners and federal and state agencies. 

“From an execution standpoint, the project is shovel-ready," Aguilar said in the statement. “Once we receive our permit approval, our ability to begin construction will be contingent upon financial entities in the United States, Europe and Japan — all of which are dealing with urgent priorities generated by COVID-19 — completing their due diligence process.”