Breakfast links: Precious on-street parking

Car sharing may get competition

Hertz’s car sharing service may come to DC and create competition for Zipcar; that prompted DDOT to start auctioning its curbside car sharing spaces instead of giving them away for free. (Current via TBD)

Central DC parking spaces now have pay by phone

DDOT announced that all metered spaces in Ward 2 now have pay-by-phone and much of Ward 6 as well. There’s a map of pay-by-phone spaces. Sign up for ParkMobile to use the service, which costs 32¢ on top of parking charges.

More on taxis

Harry Jaffe says the administration’s statement includes “bald-faced lies” about the taxi arrest incident. (Examiner) … Senior officials will attend a seminar on working with the media. (Post) … Mike DeBonis suggests reporters also take an interest in the Taxi Commission’s many other, long-standing dysfunctions. (Post)

Ravtich Rhee-thinks Rhee-form

Once-conservative (some say “turncoat”) education reformer Diane Ravitch has become the leading critic of Michelle Rhee. Meanwhile, is Rhee’s cause in danger of getting tied up with a larger Republican agenda? (City Paper)

Transit site redesign a flop

The new MTA website has poor layout, makes it hard to find schedules, and hides information in PDFs. At least it has no Flash. (Baltimore Sun)

Holy water denied

A Prince George’s County Council committee opposes a water permit for construction of a 900-seat church in Laurel. They say it will excessively disturb the land; the pastor alleges religious discrimination. (Post)

SF to LA, 32 hours on trains and buses

After a transit geek figured out it was possible to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles entirely by public transportation (in 32 hours), one enterprising reporter decided to give the trip a try. (SF Weekly)

Mica’s district hates his plan

House Transportation Chair John Mica has proposed eliminating dedicated funding for bike and ped projects, but counties and cities in his own northeastern Florida district have condemned the idea. (Streetsblog)

And…

House Appropriations approved the budget for DC whose residents cannot elect them. (Post) … WMATA approved its $2.5 billion budget with few service cuts. (Post) … Several restaurants will install 6 beehives at GWU to supply honey. (PoP)