New Yorkers Denied Real-Time Subway Twitter Alerts As Elon Musk Demands $50K Monthly Fee

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has ended real-time Twitter service for subway, train and bus riders due to a dispute with Elon Musk-owned platform over API fees. 

What Happened: MTA is cutting ties with Musk-owned platform, leading to the end of real-time service alerts on Twitter for subway, train and bus riders in New York City’s mass-transit system. 

See Also: Elon Musk Says Bots With ‘Good Content’ Can Use Twitter API Days After Revoking Free Access

The authority said it would no longer use its Twitter accounts, including @NYCTSubway, @NYCTBus, @LIRR and @MetroNorth, to offer real-time service updates to riders. However, transit system employees will monitor these handles and respond to social media messages. The @MTA account will remain unchanged. 

Riders can still access up-to-date service information through the MTA’s phone apps MYmta and TrainTime, website and WhatsApp.

According to an MTA official, Twitter requested a monthly fee of $50,000 from the authority to access the microblogging site’s API, which allows for integrating multiple computer programs, reported Fortune. 

Why It’s Important: Earlier this year, Musk announced that Twitter is suspending free access to its API on Feb.9 and instead, a paid tier will be available.  

Musk-owned Twitter’s decision to revoke API access has previously affected public service accounts responsible for providing critical updates and information to the masses. 

Earlier this month, many accounts, including the National Weather Service, were unable to post automated breaking news and events because of the API restrictions. 

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