As of April 27, the HonkMobile app must be used to manage and pay for parking around campus. The app allows users to pay through text or the app, as well as manage the extent of their parking session on their phone. 

Robyn Alexander, manager of Kansas State Parking Services, said the switch to HonkMobile came from a need for a more user-friendly and convenient service to match customers’ needs. 

“We listened to the feedback from our customers, and the feedback from our customers is that they were not finding ParkMobile very user-friendly,” Alexander said. “There was a lot of lag time trying to do things on a phone versus a computer with ParkMobile. We ended up concluding that Honk suited our needs and suited the needs that our customers were stating that they also needed … We tested HonkMobile on ORA recruitment and admissions because they do things on a weekly basis with large numbers of people, and they could not be happier with the result.”

According to Chelsea Biltoft, program manager of K-State Parking Services, HonkMobile’s features provide a smoother experience.

“With ParkMobile, it was pay online or through the app,” Biltoft said. “With HonkMobile, you can text to pay. … You can scan the QR code, you can download the app and you can also get alerted when your time is about to expire, whereas ParkMobile wouldn’t always alert users. … It’s pretty straightforward, and when you download the app, it even has a tutorial where it walks you through everything.”

HonkMobile has already been implemented in the parking garage and in meters across campus, Alexander said. By Monday, May 11, HonkMobile will be available to use in all parking lots that use ParkMobile.

“If users have any questions, I always encourage people to send an email or phone Parking Services because we have somebody that mans phones and email all day, so you can get questions answered very quickly,” Alexander said.