RIDEGURU
How do I avoid surge pricing? Any tips and tricks?
Posted 6 years, 10 months ago
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RelaxedRecliner
57
Ride Apprentice
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The Guru Take
Here are some tips.
First of all, read this article on the basics of surge pricing. It is important to remember that it's based on supply and demand.
As an individual, it's easy to assume you have no control over the supply (i.e. # of cars) and the demand (i.e. # of riders). While that may be true at a high level, you still can have effect on it. Here are a few tips:
- Be flexible with your travel time. Leaving the bar at a closing time? Why don't you leave a few minutes early before everyone floods the streets? Too late? Why don't you go for a brisk walk and kill a little time? Adjusting your travel time can have huge impact on surges. This is also true for rush hour, busy airport times, etc.
- Move locations. Are you in a busy neighborhood? Waiting at a bus station? Try walking and adjusting where you request a ride. While surges can cover an extended area, you never know where those areas end. If you suspect you can walk a few city blocks for more secluded areas, you may be off the hook from surges. (Sorry drivers!)
- Know your surges. Planning for a trip? Check the potential surges in advance. Are you traveling next Tuesday? Why not check potenetial surge the week before? If you know that surges are possible, you can do more to prep!
- Look for alternatives. Taxi anyone? If Uber is surging, check Lyft. If Lyft is surging, check other rideshares. Also look into traditional taxis where the prices are regulated and are not subject to surges.
There are apps and tricks out there to check the current surges, say downloading Uber's Driver app, but we have not really heard great success with those. Of course, try RideGuru's comparison tool to look for the best price!
ippei
1202
Uber Driver, CEO of TaxiFareFinder and Unleashed, LLC
Comments
Schedule an Uber in advance.
If passengers are stuck in a surge zone, does map on passenger app show what area is in surge and which is not?
If it does show surge map like it does for drivers and you absolutely need to get to where you are going fast.
And you checked both Lyft and Uber are surging
And for example you need to be driven 20 miles. Go ahead and order a Lyft or Uber (not pool/shared) as many drivers ignore those, to pick you up inside the surge (if you can't just walk out of it) and drop a destination pin just outside the surge. So this way the driver will drive you for the 2 miles to area outside surge at surge rate. Then you order another car form the now non surge zone to your ultimate destination.
Riders cannot see surge like drivers do. The only way they know is by the price being higher than usual. They can try waiting 10/15 min to see if price goes down. What I have been noticing since new surge is areas that are busy every weekend, inclement weather and holidays surge has been lasting longer. A few surges in Philly last night were over 15 min.
The best suggestion I can give is if they know what time they need an Uber is schedule it. It's easy to schedule. Right next to where you enter location is a box you click on enter time. It gives a 10 min window. If Uber shows up later than time entered you get a 10.00 credit. I have scheduled an Uber for my daughter in law 7X in past 3 weeks. Never late always few min early. I have picked up scheduled rides you usually get to rider 2/3 min early. Uber dont want to give that 10.00 credit. Lol
Scheduling a ride may be an option by the way uber schedule works is drivers are not pre despatched as they are in Lyft. Uber just send out a regular request to near by driver in the area slightly before pickup with banner that ride was scheduled in advance. As a driver receiving this ride request that banner is useless. A driver will think - “So what if it was scheduledb in advance” ?
On Lyft scheduled rides are posted on job board with pickup and drop off locations and cost of take home $
these rideshare a lot more sense for drivers than Uber’s version
any driver in the surge zone receiving such a request from clearly surging zone but without the surge fee will decline ;)
so if passengers do not see heat maps, perhaps they can just keep moving the pick up location pin a few blocks at a time to see if surge pricing goes away and when they find it that could be a good indicator where to be dropped off by first drive at surge rate and then order another car.…
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Scheduling a ride may be an option by the way uber schedule works is drivers are not pre despatched as they are in Lyft. Uber just send out a regular request to near by driver in the area slightly before pickup with banner that ride was scheduled in advance. As a driver receiving this ride request that banner is useless. A driver will think - “So what if it was scheduledb in advance” ?
On Lyft scheduled rides are posted on job board with pickup and drop off locations and cost of take home $
these rideshare a lot more sense for drivers than Uber’s version
any driver in the surge zone receiving such a request from clearly surging zone but without the surge fee will decline ;)
so if passengers do not see heat maps, perhaps they can just keep moving the pick up location pin a few blocks at a time to see if surge pricing goes away and when they find it that could be a good indicator where to be dropped off by first drive at surge rate and then order another car.
of course if a ride is short it would not make sense as they get hit with a second booking fee, etc. but if it is a 30 mile trip home from concert then 3 mile surge ride and 27 mile remainder at regular price makes sense
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I had a few scheduled rides. I do not understand why we need to know. It doesnt do anything for us. Wonder if they put it up hoping driver will hurry and make it to location on time so Uber doesnt hasve to give that 10.00 credit lol. Who knows why the put it there. I wonder if the area is surged, the ride scheduled, if Uber still gives surge to driver and takes the loss. Have you seen the new Quest/Promotions that we have to pick by midnight Sunday? Did you drive last night? It was steady all night. Hopefully tonight is busy. Rain supposed to stop around 8.