Sometimes you think you’ve seen everything in tech. Other times,
everything in tech gets packed into a car for the ultimate in luxury. If
you ever wanted to play on a PlayStation 4, watch cable TV, finish some
work on a full-size keyboard, print photos and/or enjoy a beer as
strobe lights pulsate around you on your way to work in a clean, comfy
cab, take a ride in Car Force One.
A ride fit for a president, Car Force One is a luxury car service
that chauffeurs you around the New York area in the most teched-out car
in the world. And the truckload of amenities are at no additional cost.
According to Car Force One founder and CEO Ishai, the company’s
priority is customer satisfaction. "My company is not about the car,
it's about the service. It's for the clients," said Ishai, who declined
to divulge his last name.
Ishai has been a cab driver since July 2009 and modified the cars
himself with a team of helpers. He first started with a sedan, but these
days he drives a 2011 Chevrolet SUV that's tricked out with gadgets and
amenities such as an Xbox 360 (which he's upgrading to a PlayStation 4
when it comes out), a 23-inch Samsung HD monitor, Blu-ray player, live
cable TV with premium channels, 4G Internet, three mobile printers and
more.
"I believe it's the most equipped car in the world, the most luxurious car,"
"I believe it's the most equipped car in the world, the most luxurious car," Ishai said.
He built the vehicle to provide three major services: convenience and
comfort, multi-media entertainment and a fully equipped mobile office.
Here's an exhaustive list of features in Car Force One, which is not
complete because Ishai is constantly adding new things to his car.
Convenience/Comfort
Chargers for iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, Samsung and BlackBerry phones on every side/seat
Remote controls throughout car to adjust lighting on/off and dimming
Phone holders near charging cables on sides of car
Mobile "bathroom," as a client called it, side dock with:
Victoria's Secret lotions and colognes, hand sanitizers, Wet Ones to go
and Kleenex to go
3 coolers (2 for now) that serve as mini-bars, offering cold
drinks such as: bottled water, orange juice, apple juice, Diet Coke,
Sprite, Coors Light and Plans to add fruit salad cups
Mobile baby station with: bottle warmer, baby wipes warmer and paper towels
2 full-size umbrellas, adding 2 smaller ones
Infant and toddler car seats and boosters
First-aid kit, emergency seat belt cutter, window breaker, fire extinguisher
Multimedia Entertainment
23-inch full HD 1920 x 1080p monitor that’s hooked up for 5
different uses: Internet, Blu-ray movies, live cable TV, gaming console
and pictures and videos from SD card reader
Gaming console (Xbox 360 for now, he has already ordered PS4)
Live cable TV (Time Warner) with premium channels such as Disney and HBO
2 headrest monitors hooked up to Blu-ray player
More than 200 titles of Blu- ray movies in a 2TB hard drive, an additional 30 titles for kids
Up-to-date magazines and newspapers
Mobile Office
Fully functioning laptop hooked up to 23-inch monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse
4G Wi-Fi that clients can connect to on their own devices
3 mobile printers: 4 x 6 photo printer, an all-in-one scanner/printer, an HP OfficeJet printer
Adjustable table as a writing surface that holds the keyboard and mouse
SD card reader for memory card file transfer
Reservations with Car Force One start at $45 for a journey from the
Upper West Side to Wall Street, and shorter distances cost a minimum of
$35. In comparison, the same ride (UWS to Wall Street) in a yellow cab
will set you back some $30 in moderate traffic, including a 20% tip.
Ishai says he imposes a minimum fee for reservations because of the
commitment he makes and the opportunity cost involved. “If another job
comes up for $500, I will turn it down,” he said. He has offered better
rates for regulars and sometimes even gives them free rides for short
distances.
Don’t expect to call Car Force One tonight and get a ride tomorrow
morning, though. Due to a tight schedule, Ishai says the company would
prefer people make reservations as far ahead as possible. He receives
bookings for March in as early as June the year before, and most of his
clients hire him for airport and business pickups. You can access CarForceOne’s website with the username “carforceone” and the password “president” to make reservations and open an account for 15% off posted rates.
Ishai says he can’t wait to get started on his next car and has
already bought tickets to go to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas in January. He intends to get the latest and greatest tech for his
car, including:
Appropriately-sized 4K or 3D (without glasses) monitor
Wireless phone charging dock
Karaoke machine
Heated and cool cup holders
Mousepad that can be used on lap
But it's not the tech features that keep people coming back to Car
Force One. Ishai says he asks repeat customers why they choose to return
to him over other luxury car services. They tell him it is his
reliability that they prize the most, followed by his friendly
personality. "Many of my clients confide in me," he said. But for
first-timers, the amazing features of Car Force One are the biggest
draw. After all, it's not every day that you get to ride like a
president. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. Image: Car Force One
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