Sensible ideas on the use of I-PASS

We were given an I-PASS several years ago, and at first it didn't make a lot of sense as we are -- until they doubled the cash amount vs. I-PASS usage. Then the $10 cost of the I-PASS (which is refundable if one turns in the I-PASS) made sense.

Our son is a pilot for Southwest Airlines and was temporarily stationed at Midway Airport and needed to borrow our second car. Of course a second I-PASS was justified, but a little problem became apparent. One could only "recharge" each I-PASS with $40 so that meant that the Illinois tollway could have $80 or so of our money to "invest." Multiply this by perhaps a million other like users and it is a considerable sum of "free money" for the Illinois tollway to invest.

I discussed this with one of the I-PASS staff and suggested that she bring this subject to the table in one of their meetings. Perhaps she did, as two or more I-PASS holders can now share a common balance amount. She also made a great suggestion at that time, which was to buy a gift card at Jewel for $20 and this could be split between the two cards in whatever way I would like. It does require a phone call to the Illinois tollway to activate the card amount.

The Daily Herald is doing a good job of bashing the Illinois tollway for the heavy-handed fines, and rightly so. They are out of line, as reported. One can monitor I-PASS usage on the Web and can determine speeding violators, but that is another day's subject.

Robert W. Seaberg

Wheaton