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How does Uber match up its riders and drivers? How does Uber's algorithm work in terms of paring up users? Is it not by distance?
Why does my wait time change from 2 minues as it appears on the map to something longer?
Why does Uber not always send the closest driver?
Posted 5 years, 10 months ago
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The Guru Take
Uber algorthm works in mysterious ways. Here are reasons you don't always get the closest.
Uber's algorithm works in mysterious ways. From the riders' perspective, you see on your screen the exact location of the driver and that he is 2 minutes away. Then the moment you request a ride, the driver is in an entirely different location and now he is 5 minutes away. Have you had that experience?
Here are few considerations for why this happens:
- It's the time not the distance. Uber uses the duration it takes the driver to get to you NOT the distance from you. There may be a driver closer, but if he is going the opposite direction on a one-way road, there may be another that can get to you quicker.
- Drivers do not have to accept your ride. The "closest" driver may have declined or ignored your request. When this happens, it automatically goes to the next driver. (The driver has 15 seconds to accept.) The passenger does not get to see the inner workings of how their request is tossed around, but it's all happening.
- Uber wants newbies to get a good experience. New drivers tend to be matched with highly rated riders, so they get the best experience. This is part of their attempts to improve retention and ease them into the job. The jury is out on whether this works the other way around. (we hear no)
- Ratings do matter. Uber tends to match drivers and riders based on their ratings. It isn't always "highly rated drivers get connected with highly rated riders," however. Uber has a complex algorithm on how the pairings should happen.
- Each driver and rider has a blacklist. If you have ever rated a driver with a 1-star or 2-star rating, you will never be paired with that driver. The reverse is also true.
- Drivers can specify preferences. Uber drivers have an ability to specify what type of requests to receive. If the vehicle type qualifies for multiple Uber services, say UberX and UberXL, the driver can specify one or the other or both. Drivers can also specify when the shift is nearing an end, in order to avoid very long trips. Drivers can also specify which general direction they are trying to go (say to go home towards the end of a shift). All of these preferences will be considered into how the pairings are made.
Can you think of any others?
ippei
1202
Uber Driver, CEO of TaxiFareFinder and Unleashed, LLC
Comments
While all of those are great reasons why you may experience various app failures, all of you are missing the most obvious and it happens to me every day. I think now it has improved because the app now tells the waiting passenger that the driver is finishing up another ride and will be with you shortly. Used to be the app would give you another ride while this one was finishing up. It would in effect stack riders. A waiting rider would see the driver moving away from them (which may be necessary to drop off the last rider). After that dropoff, then the driver would flip back to pick up the current ride and they may in fact be the closest driver. Well people with their impatience, would see the movement of the car and cancel because they think the driver is lost or not coming.
Also there can be a lag in the display of vehicle locations. If the car jumps 20 city blocks in a second then you can believe the graphic has just updated and no not that the car has actually flown 20 blocks. LOL Where the driver icon was was where he was ten minutes ago and GPS issues or app issues have just caused a delay in posting movement real time.
I sorta feel responsible to tell passengers of these two pieces of info. Misunderstandaing can lead to bad things.
That lag bit I have noticed quite a lot. I have instructed drivers poorly while following the GPS screen too closely.
Wow. This is some interesting info. I am glad Uber plugged the hole, but I also feel horrible for drivers who got dinged for this.
"A waiting rider would see the driver moving away from them (which may be necessary to drop off the last rider). After that dropoff, then the driver would flip back to pick up the current ride and they may in fact be the closest driver. Well people with their impatience, would see the movement of the car and cancel because they think the driver is lost or not coming."
I always thought highly rated pax and highly rated drivers are paired up. and crappy douches of riders and drivers are rightfully paired up.
Why would they do it any other way?
There are many reasons for this, but it's usually to do with customer service and keeping people happier. Say for example, if a rider has a bad experience (gives a low rating to a driver), Uber wants his or her next ride to be with a highly rated driver, perhaps higher than it could have been. This would be regardless of what this rider's rating is.
Uber does not want their good drivers to continue being matched up with good riders. They want to keep up good customer service to all of their customers. If they assign bad to bad, that can create lopsided perception of the company with one area of its population. They have to spread the good to a wider audience, and this applies to both good drivers and good riders.
Only if the blond in the picture just looks back, she'll see that the driver is right there. I mean, just look. stop looking at the phone.
funny. I was thinking the same thing. Gotta love these stockphotos actors.
that's what you guys got out of this? LOL.
You know waht always bothers me though?! When Uber says a driver is 3 minutes away so you request and bam your driver is 12 minutes away! So infuriating. If you are not going to give me the closest driver at least tell me in advance so I can order earlier.