San Francisco’s BART lost API access and then got it back all in the same day
We received an email at 3:26 pm from @Twitter noting @SFBARTalert has been suspended from accessing its Twitter API. This means @SFBARTalert — which produces automated delay advisories — will be shut down for now.
We do not have a ETA for a solution but we are working on it. https://t.co/xyGd5Pf7T6
— BART (@SFBART) April 15, 2023
Nearly 3,000 miles away from New York, San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Twitter page was also impacted. The BART account published a tweet saying it received an email from Twitter saying informing them it was suspended from accessing its API. The agency said it was “disappointed” with Twitter’s decision and advised its followers to turn instead to the BART website or download the BART app for up to date transit notifications in the interim.
“Twitter has been our most successful social platform,” BART wrote. “We have far more followers here than anywhere. We’ve gone viral many times for support of public transit and met incredible riders here. As we consider other platforms, we can’t help but feel disappointed by Twitter’s decision.”
Hello this is BART Alert again. We received a Direct Message that we have been unsuspended!
We greatly thank @TwitterDev for their quick action to correct this issue. pic.twitter.com/KhFniL9fCW
— BART Alert (@SFBARTalert) April 15, 2023
Twitter apparently saw user frustration surrounding the BART’s suspension. Hours after the original tweet, BART posted a follow-up saying someone from Twitter’s development team reached out to them and unsuspended their account.
