# Uber, Lyft: How about a 'take me home' mode?



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

Later in the evening, I wish I could accept only pickups (and destinations if known), that are home-side of a line through me and perpendicular to the line from me to home, so I can work my way home. It is just math, and computers are way fast. Essentially, in place of a pick up circle, I would have a pickup semi-circle that tends to draw me homeward. If the destination is known, filter out ones that take me away from home (relative to my current position, not the pickup). For instance, if a ride would take me 4 miles closer to home to pick up but goes back 2 miles to drop off, it is still good. If a ride goes 2 miles toward home for pickup, but 6 miles away to drop off, then no good.

Why bother: 1) keeps me online longer! 2) Makes long rides more profitable for all, as we can work our way back! If a ride takes you from one end of NJ to the other, it's a long way back.

PS: It should turn back to normal online if I am < 5 miles from home? How about a cutoff time that turns it on automatically?


----------



## Stygge (Jan 9, 2016)

You overcomplicate things just like uber. Instead if they just showed the destination we could decide if we want that trip or not.


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

Computers can do complicated things well and essentially for free.

Dumping a trip is bad customer relations, so this would be way superior. Of course, they could still fish by moving their pin to a false pickup, as savvy users often do, but then they must call with the real pickup location and accept that the driver may cancel
.


----------



## Stygge (Jan 9, 2016)

David Pickett said:


> Dumping a trip is bad customer relations


I don't suggest dumping a trip. We don't have to accept trips that are not good for us and if we knew the destination we could make more informed decisions and don't accept trips we don't want. If uber worry about the time it takes for a ping to go through the system they could just ping the 8 closest drivers and whoever likes it first gets it.


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

How many drivers they ping might be more a Unionize issue!  I innocently thought they just pinged the closest. Around here, there is often not much competition.

The server computers have the power to do this, and do it well, whereas the driver can only do it crudely. Some things are better left to computers, others to drivers/humans.


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

I agree with the OP. There are times when I would really like to accept rides in the direction I want to drive. It would be fairly simple for Uber, but then again, they don't really give a damn about how happy the drivers are...


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

I take it your market doesn't have the destination filter, yet?


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

JMBF831 said:


> I take it your market doesn't have the destination filter, yet?


No, and it isn't April 1 either. So please explain the destination filter...


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

scooterabc said:


> No, and it isn't April 1 either. So please explain the destination filter...


It's basically what you're suggesting. In California (San Francisco market namely) I'm able to do exactly what you're suggesting. Well, sort of. It's not entirely accurate. Sometimes I will backtrack 20-minutes to get someone only to drop them off at exactly where I was when I received the request. Sometimes it works well, other times it does the aforementioned.


----------



## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

Uber loves their drivers. I'm quite sure they will implement your suggestions if you send them an e-mail.


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

JMBF831 said:


> It's basically what you're suggesting. In California (San Francisco market namely) I'm able to do exactly what you're suggesting. Well, sort of. It's not entirely accurate. Sometimes I will backtrack 20-minutes to get someone only to drop them off at exactly where I was when I received the request. Sometimes it works well, other times it does the aforementioned.


Where in the partner app do you find this option? Maybe we do have it in LA and I just don't know about it...


----------



## ABC123DEF (Jun 9, 2015)

Big Foober is a control freak. They don't want you to have any conveniences or perks.


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

scooterabc said:


> Where in the partner app do you find this option? Maybe we do have it in LA and I just don't know about it...


There is a little clipboard on the top left hand corner. It only appears when you're online. Once you click that icon it says: "Set a destination"


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

JMBF831 said:


> There is a little clipboard on the top left hand corner. It only appears when you're online. Once you click that icon it says: "Set a destination"


 Do you mean a little clipboard that is on the upper left, similar to the little traffic signal on the upper right? I don't have a clipboard on the upper left. :-(


----------



## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

Realityshark said:


> Uber loves their drivers. I'm quite sure they will implement your suggestions if you send them an e-mail.


 Absolutely they will!!


----------



## Chance Phillips (Mar 2, 2016)

I think if enough of us request this functionality, they would at least consider adding it.


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

You cannot remain an innovative company if you adopt a NIH (Not Invented Here) attitude, and ignore your most expert, knowledgeable, insightful, expressive and generous users. I have been involved with computers, programming for almost 49 years! I have been driving for almost 51!

It is not about popular support from happier drivers, it is about keeping us online longer so everyone makes more money. They call that making a business case.


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

JMBF831 said:


> There is a little clipboard on the top left hand corner. It only appears when you're online. Once you click that icon it says: "Set a destination"


Could you post a screen capture showing that?


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

scooterabc said:


> Could you post a screen capture showing that?


That sounds like a lot of work, haha

Mainly because you guys must not have the option, yet. SF and San Diego has it (from what I remember reading). It isn't perfect by any means, but in some instances it helps out.


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

Posting a screen capture is a lot of work? You hold down two buttons on your phone and it captures the screen. On my Droid Maxx it's the power button and the volume button at the same time. On i-Phone I think it's power and home... I would really like to have it in LA, even if it only helps a little...


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

scooterabc said:


> Posting a screen capture is a lot of work? You hold down two buttons on your phone and it captures the screen. On my Droid Maxx it's the power button and the volume button at the same time. On i-Phone I think it's power and home... I would really like to have it in LA, even if it only helps a little...


I'm on a desktop computer, not my cell. And I hate posting pictures from my cell on this forum, it kind of sucks.

Again, you obviously don't have the option if you don't see a clipboard on the upper left hand corner when you are "online."


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

I'm wondering if it wishful thinking or a reality in some markets. Haven't heard about it from anyone else.

<5 minutes later> OK, I googled it. Can't wait for it to get to Los Angeles. Until then I'll use the destination filter on Lyft when I want to head towards home...


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

Okay, fine. Since you were cool about it


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

First and second screen:


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

Thanks. That is so cool. Does it save up to 10 stored destinations or it only lets you have 10 per day? So it can work in markets that have POOL (Line) service -- I assume you still get UberX pax and not just UberPool pax, correct?
THANKS


----------



## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

I only have one destination pre-saved, I don't know how many you can pre-save. But you can type in any destination you want, anyway.

It works with Pool and UberX. Whoever is headed your direction. Keep in mind, though, the system isn't perfect. Sometimes it has me backtrack 15 minutes to get someone, only to drop them off where I was when I received the request haha

And destination filter requests do NOT count toward promotion trip totals.


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

That is SOOOO cool. So if I'm in Pasadena running errands and want to stay in the general area, I can set my destination filter to Pasadena... Or if I'm in Pasadena and driving to San Diego, I can set my destination filter to San Diego. And it might have some back-tracking but in general will take me in the correct direction...? I'm gonna try that the next time I drive to San Diego or Phoenix... (putting in Blythe as my destination). Hello Lyft, goodbuy Uber! (until they implement it in Los Angeles...)


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

Lyft Destination mode looks close, but I have not been able to access it -- Maybe part of the Lyft Line update of the 11th!


----------



## scooterabc (Feb 19, 2016)

OK I tried Lyft Destination Filter last night and it failed miserably. I got NO pings and some of the areas I was driving through had surging on Uber. Here's a screen shot of the route I was on. I wonder why no pings...


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

Well, they may allow you calls for less than 180 degrees, like 90 or less, to help ensure you are going to accept the riders. That's a much lower probability of ping, and I have seen ping-dry times as I drove through surge or whatever Lyft calls their pink rectangles. I want a larger statistical sample! Anyone here ever get a rider using Destination?


----------



## paulfr (Apr 9, 2016)

David Pickett said:


> Later in the evening, I wish I could accept only pickups (and destinations if known), that are home-side of a line through me and perpendicular to the line from me to home, so I can work my way home. It is just math, and computers are way fast. Essentially, in place of a pick up circle, I would have a pickup semi-circle that tends to draw me homeward. If the destination is known, filter out ones that take me away from home (relative to my current position, not the pickup). For instance, if a ride would take me 4 miles closer to home to pick up but goes back 2 miles to drop off, it is still good. If a ride goes 2 miles toward home for pickup, but 6 miles away to drop off, then no good.
> 
> Why bother: 1) keeps me online longer! 2) Makes long rides more profitable for all, as we can work our way back! If a ride takes you from one end of NJ to the other, it's a long way back.
> 
> PS: It should turn back to normal online if I am < 5 miles from home? How about a cutoff time that turns it on automatically?


Great idea
I hope they implement it son
I hate driving back from a long trip and burning my earnings

I have not had much luck with Lyft destination filter
Never seen to get a ping.

In time .........


----------



## Blucooper03 (Mar 18, 2016)

I spoke with an Engineer that works for the Seattle Uber office, and he suggested this, and it was rolled out in a limited market before being pulled back. Was pulled back because people would hit the button to get long trips... It was set to take you no more than a certain amount out of your way when headed home.. He said it's being revamped, and will also have a limit on the # of times you can use the function in a day at relaunch for test.


----------



## lyft_audi (Mar 3, 2016)

I would love this feature.

No destination filter here.


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Your market has to have Lyft Line or Uber Pool for the destination filter 

You're not going to get many if any hits honestly but it keeps you in driver mode which lets you legally claim those miles as a tax deduction. I've been using the Destination Filter in Denver since Line launched on Tuesday this week . I've set it 8 or 9 times and haven't gotten one ride but that's ok all times I was running personal errands . 

The only rides you will get will be Lyft Line or Uber Pool rides going in your direction on your route so again the odds of a ride are almost nothing


----------



## UberMeansSuper (Aug 3, 2015)

Dallas just got it but we do not have Pool.


----------



## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

So far the Uber flavor has not shown its face, and the Lyft flavor is too selective, get nothing time after time. That's why I suggested an 180 degree restriction!

And screw them on their "does not count"! If I go offline to get home, that does not count either, *****!


----------

