# Does anyone know the algorithms that Lyft and Uber use for surge pricing?



## DavidHill76 (Apr 20, 2017)

I'm just curious as to what algorithms Lyft and Uber use to calculate Prime Time and surge pricing. It would make sense that it is a background process or code that receive signals from the GPS of people turning on the app to request a ride; however, given that we all know how Uber and Lyft have different ways of getting in ride requests I was just wondering if primetime and surge pricing has some sort of similar ways to screw us out of our fare


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## Grand (Feb 23, 2016)

DavidHill76 said:


> I'm just curious as to what algorithms Lyft and Uber use to calculate Prime Time and surge pricing.


Good question and I am sure there are many people who would love to know this info, most of all... drivers. 

Of course the only way to know this confidential data would be getting the information from the companies........


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## autofill (Apr 1, 2016)

DavidHill76 said:


> I'm just curious as to what algorithms Lyft and Uber use to calculate Prime Time and surge pricing. It would make sense that it is a background process or code that receive signals from the GPS of people turning on the app to request a ride; however, given that we all know how Uber and Lyft have different ways of getting in ride requests I was just wondering if primetime and surge pricing has some sort of similar ways to screw us out of our fare


Simple, keep your driver app off until it's 2x surge. No surge no rides period.


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## Robertino (May 5, 2017)

Autofill, it would only work if about 50% of all drivers would turn their apps off - like a small union. That would never happen.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

DavidHill76 said:


> I'm just curious as to what algorithms Lyft and Uber use to calculate Prime Time and surge pricing. It would make sense that it is a background process or code that receive signals from the GPS of people turning on the app to request a ride; however, given that we all know how Uber and Lyft have different ways of getting in ride requests I was just wondering if primetime and surge pricing has some sort of similar ways to screw us out of our fare


Surging prime time, as well as the flat rate markup,

They are all calculated using...

Z. zero
0. Operation
L. Logarithmic
T. Traversal
A. Additive 
R. Reciprocal

Or Zoltar for short.

The formula is pretty complex.

Basically you walk up to the Zoltar machine and push the button.


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## Dredrummond (Jun 17, 2016)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Surging prime time, as well as the flat rate markup,
> 
> They are all calculated using...
> 
> ...


Hahaha


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

Ok...now I am no expert...

Butt...at one time they said...

It is a ratio of...

riders apps open to drivers apps open...

At least that was what it used to be...8)

Rakos


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