Honk Mobile Launches Parking Platform in Downtown St. Catharines

Toronto-based startup Honk Mobile lets you enter a destination, drive there and then start the quest for parking, making it super easy for drivers to find and pay for spots even before leaving their houses.

Today, the parking platform launched in downtown St. Catharines. Michael Back, the CEO of Honk Mobile, joined Mayor Walter Sendzik at Market Square to do a live demonstration of the technology. In a statement, Sendzik said:

“Right now, in the middle of a St. Catharines winter, where everyday the weather can be frosty, mild, rainy or, dare I say, snowy, is the perfect time to launch an easier and faster way to pay for parking. With the Honk app, there is no waiting at pay stations or walking back to a vehicle to display receipts. It really is park, tap and go. We are always looking find new ways and technology to enhance city programs and services and this test is an example of that.”

Similar to what Uber has done for transportation, Honk Mobile wants to bring all parts of finding and paying for parking together under one roof. Honk charges a lot operator a transaction fee, and the price for using the app to pay for the spot is often the same as paying at the lot. The app, therefore, increases business for the operator by making drivers aware of the lot.

Users of the app receive alerts 15 minutes before their parking ticket expires, allowing them to pay for additional time using the app. Honk Mobile currently has more than 50,000 spots in more than 550 locations and is also expanding into the United States.

Honk Mobile for iOS is available as a free download in the App Store. The app requires any device running iOS 8.0 or later.