# "Go offline to build a higher surge" -- one problem?



## Dammit Mazzacane (Dec 31, 2015)

"He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So...." _CRAP_.

Some drivers make this big game of playing "peek a boo" with surge by staying offline to control supply to get a great surge demand built up. Then they go online to nab a high priced fare.

Uber and Lyft use GPS systems. If they know you have the driver app open, even if it's not "online," can't the rideshare companies use that to play the same game by including the "recently online drivers" to the surge algrithm, effectively deflating surge?

We know that they know where you are and what you're doing. It's just a bunch of binary functions in an app. They can ID you by GPS first regardless if you're online or offline. There's no hiding unless you sever the data link by turning off cell service, right?

Why else would strange surges show up at strange places and times? It can't all be tied into passenger demand crossreferenced to driver supply, right? Maybe they use surge to play more with passengers? A surge ride with a 20 or 25% cut to the company is naturally going to earn more than any base fare ride, for the company and by coincidence to the driver.

So can't they use the GPS positions of its drivers -- both online and temporarily offline -- to reverse engineer the game and the surge?


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## Jon E (Feb 15, 2017)

I just read an article at Buzzfeed that talks about this. Drivers are tracked and riders are predicted prior to actual surge. Too lazy and tired to find article and paste link.


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## Citronbull (Feb 29, 2016)

You are in independent contractor, they can't control you.


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## Bean (Sep 24, 2016)

Jon E said:


> I just read an article at Buzzfeed that talks about this. Drivers are tracked and riders are predicted prior to actual surge. Too lazy and tired to find article and paste link.


I'm pretty sure this is accurate. I believe I've seen surge in dead areas simply because there had previously been a trend.


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## wiley21 (Feb 5, 2017)

Bean said:


> I'm pretty sure this is accurate. I believe I've seen surge in dead areas simply because there had previously been a trend.


Absolutely. Last night for instance... downtown Orlando was painted red on app at 2:30 am. I was there watching the tumbleweeds go through the street.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

We can only guess at the algorithm used to start/end a surge. It makes sense that it includes some ratio of actual requests plus predicted requests to drivers available.

It seems unlikely that a single driver going offline would have a significant effect on "boosting" the surge. It would be interesting if there was a practical, easy-to-use way for many drivers to coordinate.

I do know several drivers who recommend going offline shortly before a predicted surge so they do not have to reject pre-surge requests, which lowers their acceptance rate and do not get pulled out of the surge area. The potential downsides include missing potential rides if the surge never happens, the difficulty in predicting the peak of the surge, and not getting any requests from riders waiting for the surge to end.

Nevertheless, if you can hit that "sweet spot" and get a long trip on surge then it is a "thing of beauty"


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## wiley21 (Feb 5, 2017)

Maven said:


> Nevertheless, if you can hit that "sweet spot" and get a long trip on surge then it is a "thing of beauty"


I've had long trips on surge, I have long select trips, I've had select trips with surge... I'm yet to have a long select trip on surge. THAT would be the thing of beauty.


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