# How the Surge algorithm works



## CIncinnatiDriver (Dec 17, 2015)

I did a little research on the two StUber apps seems to show:

Within the freeway loop that surrounds our city:

1. My IMPRESSION from comparing the driver and passenger apps is that:

If a rider would have to wait 10 minutes or more for a pickup (i.e. if drivers are too far away in the suburbs i.e. west and east sides) ----> Surge gradually goes up from 1 to 1.4 to 2.0x, until enough drivers come on-line or re-position to fix the problem. 
Then surge gradually decreases back to 1x.

i.e., Uber wants basic coverage everywhere, and they'll fake a surge to get that.

If I'm right:

This 'surge' is an Uber lie. 
There is NO surge in riders needing drivers and not finding them. 
***It is, in fact a 'shortage' of drivers sitting with app on and no pax. ***

Uber will manipulate the surge to get coverage everywhere, even though people may be coming on-line or moving about only find they get no customers at all in the surge zone.

The FLAW for us is:
moving around or coming on-line LOWERS the surge and screws ourselves out of proper wages.

(On the assumption that no one really wants to drive much for .80 per mile (since expenses are .56/mile PLUS 15% for social security.
(Obviously if you're happy with .80/mile, fine, fake surgesdon't matter, just don't waste gas and wear and tear driving towards them..
Otherwise, do NOT drive towards nor come on-line for a fake surge under 2.1x. It simply may not be a real surge in ridership.

2. It also seems that:

If just ONE, single pax can't get a ride in spite of requesting one,
The 'surge' climbs to like 1.3 or 1.4x.

So, true, this IS an ACTUAL surge in need
HOWEVER, the surge is very tiny ! 
And of course not worth troubling with ie. not worth going out of your way to drive towards/etc. once that one guy gets his ride...the 'surge' pricing will subside back to starvation wages
I don't want to talk about how I know this...but I have seen it..

AM I RIGHT? Am I wrong? Is there more to it?



Heck, this article says it even better.
Which explains why many surges are a huge crock, from our perspective.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/17/how-uber-surge-pricing-really-works/


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## Santa (Jan 3, 2016)

I think you're on to something. I don't race to surges anymore, unless I know that an area with a surge have customers regardless. I drive towards it, which mostly isn't far and my app is on, unlike many others who turn it off till they get there. But if I know that the area with the surge has no customers, I don't even bother.

I'm a fairly new driver with two months and under 200 rides under my belt, but I figured that manipulation in the first week of driving. 

If you look in the Rider's app when you see a surge on the drivers app, them you'll see a lot of the surges are for XL. 

In Toronto only the downtown core, by the financial and entertainment district gets the X and XL surges. Mostly.


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## Bill Collector (Dec 17, 2015)

I do know there was fake surge on NYE... Here's the screen shot.... 1 minute to new year 2016.


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## CIncinnatiDriver (Dec 17, 2015)

Bill Collector said:


> I do know there was fake surge on NYE... Here's the screen shot.... 1 minute to new year 2016.


I believe, but wonder.
How do you know it was a fake surge?

ALSO

Isn't a 1.5 surge just a return to pre-Jan. 10 wages? Something we need since 1x is not much profitable


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## Dar-K (Dec 18, 2015)

NYE - I watched the app (passenger app) go to 2.0X instantly upon hitting midnight. Like there was no delay. Than it stayed 2.0X until about 12:15 a.m., than I can't recall if it went down or up, (I'm thinking up) as it grew a little bit, than subsided.


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## Bill Collector (Dec 17, 2015)

Dar-K said:


> NYE - I watched the app (passenger app) go to 2.0X instantly upon hitting midnight. Like there was no delay. Than it stayed 2.0X until about 12:15 a.m., than I can't recall if it went down or up, (I'm thinking up) as it grew a little bit, than subsided.


That's exactly what I noticed too.... Surge happened even in places where I never seen one... Basically Uber wanted to profit uberly.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

Some geek sits behind a computer screen, presses a button and watches the little ants dance across the map.


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## MaGicMiKe (Oct 20, 2015)

I *concur, * to many times in the early morning i'm in a 2x surge zone and not getting a ping, driving in a rural zone and nothing. I don't go for that hokey surge, heck i feel bad when i do get a rider and it's a high surge, it usually ends up hurting me in a low rating because their mad about the high price.


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## CIncinnatiDriver (Dec 17, 2015)

In this medium-sized city, I only count on surge when it's masses of people. 
Overview: big alcohol* or huge community events*

all other surges are lack of driver coverage (no pax surge)






Alcohol: new year's eve or college students moving to and from parties/bars on Sat night
Events: NYE or playoff games.


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