Nov 30, 2005 5:48 pm US/Central
Share I-PASS From Car To Car Made Easy
by Joanie Lum
(CBS)
A little gadget could make your life a lot easier. As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, two McHenry County sisters couldn't pass up the chance to make the I-PASS more family friendly.
An I-PASS can be used in all of your registered family cars, but Ellen Jakubicek's husband got tired of ripping the transponder from its Velcro strips.
"He kept knocking the rearview mirror, it was about to fall off. The Velcro was coming off of the windshield," Jakubicek said.
This is how necessity evolved into invention. Jakubicek and her sister manipulated wire, making a crude basket for the I-PASS. Then they tried a plastic audio cassette box. At last, the ultimate solution -- duct tape.
"We put duct tape on it. Put this in here, now it's getting better," said Jakubicek's sister, Karen Rafalowitz.
The finished product is called SharePass, a transparent box that sticks to the windshield. The I-PASS can be moved from car to car.
"It goes in here, locks in, audible click over and over again," Rafalowitz said.
These sisters have nine children between them, so they had to make sure the I-PASS wouldn't become a hazard.
"I would never want an I-PASS, if I got rear ended or stomped on the brakes, that it would fly out and smack him," Jakubicek said.
They sold the first units to a local White Hen pantry. They are prepared to see their product to take off.
"Our holder fits the 11 states, New York, New Jersey, the same casing. We fit 12 states. We're in this for the long haul," Rafalowitz said.
Rafalowitz is a nurse, Jakubicek is a teacher. If they make enough from this invention, they hope to be in business full-time.
SharePass costs about $6 and is available at hardware and grocery stores.
SharePass is manufactured and packaged in Illinois.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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