The Music City Star could receive half the funding needed to cover its anticipated $2 million deficit.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation agreed to help the struggling commuter train under two conditions.

First, the Regional Transportation Authority will partner with the Metro Transit Authority to better manage the train’s operations. Second, the RTA and local governments must agree to cover the other half of the deficit.

TDOT commissioner Gerald Nicely says the RTA urgently needs help to figure out how to successfully operate the Star.

“We need to get this project into the hands of someone who operates transit systems and that in Middle Tennessee, the only one that really does that and has the capacity would be MTA.”

The agreement came during an RTA board meeting yesterday.