Uber is obviously screwing up the DF to throw bones to Lyft to keep them alive.

You see Uber needs Lyft as a small manageable competitor to avoid being broken up as a monopoly.

So they make deals with each other and likely this is one of them.

After all if Uber worked flawlessly then Uber would become dominant.

 

Destination filter occasionally works correctly for me - but no more than what a random ride might end up going in the directly I want 🤣

In other words - I'm as likely to get a ride in the desirable/undesirable direction with DF on as I would with it off. Therefore, I don't use it because I've come to the simple conclusion that it does nothing 🤷‍♂️

 

I’ve seen seasoned drivers who still don’t have a fkn clue how to properly use the DF, and that goes for just about all ya!
It happens like this: Drivers who want to head home with one more trip under their belt will park and set the timer on the DF with more time than it takes to reach your final destination. For example, you’re 20 minutes from home, so you set the timer for an hour thinking you’ll be patient and take a little nap while waiting to get the trip you’re wanting…well, you just gave Uber another 40 minutes to fk with your time anyway they see fit, and they’ll send you in any direction further out, while still keeping you within that 1 hour timeframe you allotted to get home.
If you absolutely want to head in a certain direction only, than allow for no more time than it takes to get to that destination. You drastically reduce your chances to get the ping you’re hoping for as you deadhead home, but you won’t be steered in any direction.

 

DF is an extremely effective tool for making money. If you know how to use it.

Hint: it's not about getting a trip in a "desirable direction..."

 

i TOTALLY AGREE ; IF IT'S USED THE WAY IT'S MEANT TO BE USED ; THESE RADICALS ARE JUST CLOWNS TO CRY ABOUT IT !!! LOL

 

Most new drivers they have no idea there is such feature.

 

True I've never set the timer, and it seems that I had no idea how it works. But I don't want a "Destination" (lol) filter that makes sure I get to the destination by a certain time (the default being what, an hour? 2 hours? I don't even know)... I want a, well, a destination filter PERIOD. Anyway, at least now I know why it does what it does.

 

Which is better, a tool that gets you trips in the direction you want to go or a tool that makes you money?

 

When I was heading home this afternoon it would be the former. If it were for the rest of the day since 7am it would be the latter. One is no better or worse than the other. It all depends upon what the driver his hoping to accomplish.

 

DF is an extremely effective tool for making money. If you know how to use it.

Hint: it's not about getting a trip in a "desirable direction..."

Bingo

 

One point. You need to set an arrival time. If you don't (at least it used to be like that) it assumes the arrival time is midnight.
Another point is that it will send you in an opposite direction if it feels you can still reach your destination close to your requested tume.

 

One point. You need to set an arrival time.

Do you know how the DF works?

Mode 1: You set the timer. Uber makes no effort to get you closer to home but will let you know when you need to deadhead home. Gee, thank you, Mr. Uber.

Mode 2: You do not set the timer. Uber ensures that the travel time (not distance) exceeds your starting point. If the starting point is 60 minutes from home, then the dropoff maybe 59 minutes away (and miles longer). It might even take you right past your house and 59 minutes past your house. One minute closer after two hours of driving helps Uber and zero drivers trying to go home.

Uber pros use Mode 2 to stay in a busy area. If you want to stay downtown on a Friday night, put in an unreachable address. If you get too close to your "destination," just drive away until you get a ping.

 

Ugh. You keep at this. Look, what is better for me, VASTLY better, is a tool that goes the direction I want to go. Because I only need it for going home at the end of a shift.

Why do you need a trip home? Isn't it to make money? What would it matter that you can't get a $20 trip home if you make at least $20 more during your shift?

Maybe you're not in a UFF market, but if you are, you can just use that to get a trip home. That's what I do. I do take low paying trips... but ONLY to get somewhere I want to go.

When surge pricing is in effect, generally in the center of town, I ONLY drive with Lyft, as I can cherry pick short rides based on destination, which Lyft shows me (and Uber does not).

Yes at time of course Lyft pays better than Uber. But there are lots of times Uber's surge is double or even triple what Lyft's is and/or covers a much larger area. During those times, you'll want a tool that helps maximize your earnings on Uber. Even if it's an inferior tool to what Lyft gives you. Because it's not so bad that it can't make up for a surge difference of 2x - 3x.

Usually if it's surging... I mean "real" surge or "hard" surge, not "fake" surge, normal pings will be so constant that they are FREQUENT EVEN WITH YOUR DF SET TO A NEARBY LOCATION. That's all you need. A little bit of downtime is acceptable if it is offset by a higher profit margin and earnings on your next trip.

I do not believe that using Uber while fiddling around with a destination filter is going to do better than that for money.

Maybe in your market. But in Chicago there are plenty of times when you'd be dead wrong. Those are usually the best times to drive here.

And with no surge pricing in effect, I fail to see how screwing around with a destination filter is going to make more money than not.

If there's no surge in effect, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DRIVING? No surge, no drive*

If you can't earn enough money during surge times then you'd be better off supplementing your income with something else. Even if it's a part time gig at a fast food restaurant.

If it never surges in your market then you're probably better off not driving for U/L at all, and just work a full time W2 of almost any kind. Otherwise, at BEST you're barely beating minimum wage after expenses FOR A DANGEROUS JOB WITH NO BENEFITS, NO FUTURE AND NO UPWARD MOBILITY, and at worst you're risking your life to borrow money against the equity in your vehicle.

If you're upside down on a loan on your vehicle and when there's no surge in your market and no promo to chase and you're driving for U/L, then god help you.

If you're constantly battling downtime between trips even when you aren't filtering them or fishing for a unicorn, GIVE IT UP man. Either go home or drive to the place where there is actually demand, because where you are it's BEYOND DEAD.

-------------------------------------------------------------

* regarding no surge no drive, it may make sense to chase promos like quests/challenges/guarantees when there is no surge, but then you also want short trips so DF comes back into play

* also, "hidden" surge is the only other reason to drive when it's not (visibly) surging, but I've not found that to be very predictable in Chicago except for a few instances when I know demand is extremely high yet Uber is mysteriously not surging, or is uncharacteristically lower than Lyft's.

 

Eh, disagree with all this, but I drive in Portland, and you drive in Chicago, so our situations couldn't be more different.

And NO job lets me work an hour here, an hour there, whenever I want, go home when I want, not work for weeks or months if I want, so your suggestion of getting a job is idiotic.

Driving with no surge probably averages $25 an hour, so let's say $15 after all car expenses, which is more than minimum wage and I can do it absolutely whenever I want. I prefer it to even a $25 an hour "real" job at, say, an Amazon fulfillment center. And the reasons why should be obvious.

 

I've had situations where destination worked exactly at the time I chose to get somewhere.
Other times it's screwed me over going to a sports event taking me back 20-30 minutes the wrong direction (40+ minutes extra) so I ended up late to that event.
In Los Angeles it'll send me down 3 freeways through Hollywood or LA, when I'm trying to take the upper freeway entirely avoiding that area.

 

It does work with upfront pricing. I don't always agree with some guys here. But, if you put the filter on say at 5pm in a busy city. Why take a $29 ride home in traffic, as per 5 $9 rides in the busy area??

 

Been meaning to add to this thread... months ago Lyft added new filter funtionality.

-- Now there IS a true destination filter, which always takes you toward a destination, and it actually DOES work! So this has been nice for me at the end of every shift (there is also still a time-based destination filter, which is of no use to me personally).

-- There is also a "stay within area" filter, which would be very helpful, but the smallest area you can set is a circle 10 miles in diameter, too large to be as useful as I would like it to be. I don't see myself bothering to use this.

 

Actually it's 5 miles

 

So is this arrival time setting only for certsin markets? Cause here in Jesery I can't find a way to set arrival time for a DF in scruber