# Surge Pricing



## Uber Cody (Nov 14, 2014)

Hello,

Sorry if this was answered already, but when people say "Surge Pricing" obviously its higher paid trips, but my question is, is it only for Uber Black or can all uber levels (Uber x) participate as well?

Thanks!


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Uber Cody said:


> Hello,
> 
> Sorry if this was answered already, but when people say "Surge Pricing" obviously its higher paid trips, but my question is, is it only for Uber Black or can all uber levels (Uber x) participate as well?
> 
> Thanks!


You can see on each ping you receive as a driver if it's surge or not. With Uber anyway. Not with Lyft.


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## sushiboy (Nov 10, 2014)

UberX has surge pricing. You would see it on your map. Areas in red will have a #x for the surge pricing. If you get a ping, you will see the #x along with the passenger info.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

If it's a weekend night past 10 and the streets are filled with drunks and there is no surge, TURN OFF THE APP. Check periodically by turning it back on to see if it surges to decide whether to drive or not. If you waste too much time waiting for surges, GO HOME because it's NOT WORTH IT for any reason.


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## uberyft (Sep 2, 2014)

scrurbscrud said:


> If it's a weekend night past 10 and the streets are filled with drunks and there is no surge, TURN OFF THE APP. Check periodically by turning it back on to see if it surges to decide whether to drive or not. If you waste too much time waiting for surges, GO HOME because it's NOT WORTH IT for any reason.


I have been checking periodically to see whatup, and now with WAYY too many drivers here in LA, and near Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, SGV, SFV, it's tough to see a surge.

Those pigs are using the "pre-surge" yellow color and orange color to move 5* newbie riders with 1 or 2 trips around town from one city to another just to stack more cars up and avoid surge as much as possible.

I am afraid that they will do in LA what they did in SD, that they will cap the surge like to 3x, and oh boy, shit will hit the fan with the old good drivers that only worked on surge; and btw, I don't know how, cuz I only drive for Uber on surge, but my rating has stayed the same in these past few weeks @ 4.78


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Yeah, Uber is manipulating the hell out of newbies with their surge manipulation tactics and phony map colors. 

Let them drive for nothing for awhile and learn the hard way. It'll thin them out fast. Pretty easy to watch what's going down on the user app.

Providing ride share to drunks for a net $2.40 is indeed a losers game!


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## uberyft (Sep 2, 2014)

Not if they are using a Prius, they will feel they are making money, since that car gives a lot of mpg.

Riders still get happy though that it's not a Prius what is picking them up, I guess that helps in the rating, also, you have NO idea how many riders on surge or in the past, have told me, how nice it is to hop in a car where I can understand the driver and he can understand me! (a lot of peeps from different parts of the world that live here, do uber)


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

uberyft said:


> Not if they are using a Prius, they will feel they are making money, since that car gives a lot of mpg.
> 
> Riders still get happy though that it's not a Prius what is picking them up, I guess that helps in the rating, also, you have NO idea how many riders on surge or in the past, have told me, how nice it is to hop in a car where I can understand the driver and he can understand me! (a lot of peeps from different parts of the world that live here, do uber)


Drivers who run 3-4 trips an hour driving drunks after 10 at a net $2.40 and think they are doing well, more power to 'em. A comfortable bed awaits me!


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## uberyft (Sep 2, 2014)

scrurbscrud said:


> Drivers who run 3-4 trips an hour driving drunks after 10 at a net $2.40 and think they are doing well, more power to 'em. A comfortable bed awaits me!


I'm just saying, in my car, 5 min fare trips in an hour would be a loss.

A Prius on the other hand, for that full hour, it could cost the driver like only the first run or 2, after that, he will feel it like pure profit.

Especially when they get the "long fares" that add up to like $40-50, that back in my days I did those trips for $95-115

AHAHAHAHA, yesterday a girl that was supposedly going to LAX request a ride, to increase acceptance rate I started accepting trips and calling riders to tell em to cancel cuz I won't pick them up, and she asked me to wait outside Magnolia in Pasadena for like 10 minutes, then take her to the airport, told her that it's not worth my time to please cancel, and she got pissed. I told her: why would I make a trip with these new rates for $35-40; when I used to make that same fare in the past for between $70-90. Even $110 when it was heavy traffic, and not counting surge trip that were close to $200.00

Did not have the time to tell her that Uber is currently cheaper and faster than SUPERSHUTTLE or PRIMETIME before she hunged up., I would have TOTALLY kept explaining to her with examples, how cheap Uber is now a days.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

uberyft said:


> I'm just saying, in my car, 5 min fare trips in an hour would be a loss.


Brilliant deduction!


> A Prius on the other hand, for that full hour, it could cost the driver like only the first run or 2, after that, he will feel it like pure profit.
> 
> Especially when they get the "long fares" that add up to like $40-50, that back in my days I did those trips for $95-115


Indeed. I drive XL but I can make a little money doing long 2 ways if I work really really hard at it. The only way I can see X fares standard rate working out is longer fares with a more than 60-70% paid vs. unpaid miles to bring the numbers up on total yield. The true test of profitability is in the total miles to total net to driver revenues. To keep in the higher utilization rates is nearly impossible when all is said and done. I think 40% paid vs. unpaid is more accurate, which makes the numbers on X even worse.

I will also do a fair amount of rides on X min. fare just to keep the ratings up if I have nothing else to do during the week.



> AHAHAHAHA, yesterday a girl that was supposedly going to LAX request a ride, to increase acceptance rate I started accepting trips and calling riders to tell em to cancel cuz I won't pick them up, and she asked me to wait outside Magnolia in Pasadena for like 10 minutes, then take her to the airport, told her that it's not worth my time to please cancel, and she got pissed. I told her: why would I make a trip with these new rates for $35-40; when I used to make that same fare in the past for between $70-90. Even $110 when it was heavy traffic, and not counting surge trip that were close to $200.00


Uh, yeah, one way long trips on X are a sure $ loser just as easily as the net $2.40 ones. I don't know how many pings I get to run 3-4 miles to drive someone a half a mile! It's ****ing ridiculous quite frankly. $.30 a mile just ain't gonna cut it for anyone including a Prius driver. And with those I usually call, and say, "hey, traffic is really heavy. Just wanted to let you know I'm a bit jammed right now. Where you headed to?" If it's not a long enough drive I just ask them to cancel and they usually do, because it's gonna be a LONG time before I get there. If I even do. There is no demand from anyone that can make me drive for a loss.


> Did not have the time to tell her that Uber is currently cheaper and faster than SUPERSHUTTLE or PRIMETIME before she hunged up., I would have TOTALLY kept explaining to her with examples, how cheap Uber is now a days.


Most sane drivers catch on to not getting burned in short order. So the declines and cancels are only a part of survival. Unfortunately for X drivers they have no choice in a lot of cases if they want to keep their numbers up.


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## Uber Cody (Nov 14, 2014)

Interesting, so your saying use the PASSENGER app to my advantage? Assuming to see where the other drivers are?


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Uber Cody said:


> Interesting, so your saying use the PASSENGER app to my advantage? Assuming to see where the other drivers are?


Uh, yeah...that's a standard for any driver with half a wit. You can actually see what's going on the whole world with Uber's app. You sure as hell should inform yourself of what's going on in yer neck of the woods. If the pings are slow and the streets are loaded with hungry scavengers, GO HOME!


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## Uber Cody (Nov 14, 2014)

I feel like that's everywhere, every major city around me, around the airport, cars on the app everywhere, around well populated cities, everywhere... so idk I guess ill just have to get out there an see whats up.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

scrurbscrud said:


> ...
> The only way I can see X fares standard rate working out is longer fares with a more than 60-70% paid vs. unpaid miles to bring the numbers up on total yield. The true test of profitability is in the total miles to total net to driver revenues. To keep in the higher utilization rates is nearly impossible when all is said and done. I think 40% paid vs. unpaid is more accurate, which makes the numbers on X even worse.
> ...
> ...


I had a night where 80% of my miles were paid, a record I doubt I will ever eclipse. But, all those miles were at standard rates. It came out to about $12.60/hr. This was when we still got the $1 SRF, so today it would be under $12/hr.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Uber Cody said:


> I feel like that's everywhere, every major city around me, around the airport, *cars on the app everywhere, *around well populated cities, everywhere... so idk I guess ill just have to get out there an see whats up.


Uh, *yeah*. It is kinda fun to watch them shuffle around though. And it gives a general idea of what is going on to a limited extent.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Oc_DriverX said:


> I had a night where 80% of my miles were paid, a record I doubt I will ever eclipse. But, all those miles were at standard rates. It came out to about $12.60/hr. This was when we still got the $1 SRF, so today it would be under $12/hr.


Again, a BRILLIANT deduction! There are those rare days when everything goes just right and you can actually come out ahead...


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