The Gulf Coast Rail District (GCRD) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas created to enhance the economic benefits of rail and passenger transport while improving regional quality of life. Harris County, the City of Houston, and Fort Bend County created the Gulf Coast Rail District under authority granted by the State of Texas in Section 171 of the Transportation Code. The Port Houston was instrumental in convening key stakeholders throughout the region to formalize a vision of a rail district, which resulted in City of Houston, Harris County, and Fort Bend County creating the Gulf Coast Rail District.

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GCRD’s Mission and Vision include improving safety and security at rail crossings to include grade separations and increasing mobility, access and quality of life. GCRD promotes multimodal mobility leading to commuter rail, bus rapid transit and advanced technologies to improve regional passenger transport.

GCRD is governed by a board of directors consisting of fourteen appointees, one Ex Officio member appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission, one Ex Officio member appointed by Gulf Coast Transit District formerly Galveston Transit District and one Ex Officio member appointed by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. The GCRD Chair is jointly appointed by Harris County Commissioners Court and the Mayor of the City of Houston. Other members include appointments by the Chairman of the Port Houston and appointments by City of Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Montgomery County, and Waller County, as well as the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association and Fort Bend Mayor and Council Association. GCRD held its first meeting in August of 2007.