[Terrapin Bound]

Two consecutive rides, similar mileage and time. Both were listed as flat rate surge. First was $6.75, as paid. Second was similar flat rate, or maybe $7.50. But the surge payout of $20.51 was obviously higher than the flat rate.

This kind of thing happens most nights. I never know if I'll get flat rate or what appears to be the old multiplier-type payout. Anyone else run into this? What gives? And is there any way to tell which payout it will be?

 

[BOScusdriver]

Two consecutive rides, similar mileage and time. Both were listed as flat rate surge. First was $6.75, as paid. Second was similar flat rate, or maybe $7.50. But the surge payout of $20.51 was obviously higher than the flat rate.

This kind of thing happens most nights. I never know if I'll get flat rate or what appears to be the old multiplier-type payout. Anyone else run into this? What gives? And is there any way to tell which payout it will be?

View attachment 662674

I had just one request last weekend that came in as a 1.7x instead of flat rate. Not sure why as I'm in Boston. The multiplier is usually better as I recall. Especially for long rides.

 

[BOScusdriver]

 

[Terrapin Bound]

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I had just one request last weekend that came in as a 1.7x instead of flat rate. Not sure why as I'm in Boston. The multiplier is usually better as I recall. Especially for long rides.

I've had a few recently show up as multipliers. I always assume it's a trap.
I always think everything could be a trap, which is why I'm still alive.

The confusion is when a flat rate turns into a multiplier rate on payout. It's never less than the flat rate shown when I accept the ride, so I'm not complaining, just trying to understand.

 

[Ted Fink]

In my experience, if you have sticky surge and the PAX is not paying surge you get the same dollar amount you expected. If the PAX is in a surge area when they request, and they pay 2x, 3x, 4x, or whatever, and the result is Uber getting what, in their opinion, is too high of a share of the fare, they add to your surge payment to make it "fair", in their eyes.

I've never been able to figure out what percentage they think is fair, when my surge is adjusted the end result is inconsistent from ride to ride. Seems like they just give extra "if they feel like it". I'm sure there's some kind of formula but i have no idea what it is.

 

[Terrapin Bound]

In my experience, if you have sticky surge and the PAX is not paying surge you get the same dollar amount you expected. If the PAX is in a surge area when they request, and they pay 2x, 3x, 4x, or whatever, and the result is Uber getting what, in their opinion, is too high of a share of the fare, they add to your surge payment to make it "fair", in their eyes.

I've never been able to figure out what percentage they think is fair, when my surge is adjusted the end result is inconsistent from ride to ride. Seems like they just give extra "if they feel like it". I'm sure there's some kind of formula but i have no idea what it is.

I reckon that's as reasonable an explanation as any.
Maybe I should leave the pax app open on my second device, get a better look at the big picture.
See if there's a correlation between pax surge rates and when Uber "feels like" paying more.

 

[Ted Fink]

See if there's a correlation between pax surge rates and when Uber "feels like" paying more.

There definitely is, I just can't pin it down to a formula.

But, if the pax pays high surge and you have a dollar amount of sticky surge, it gets increased. #BlackBoxPayFormulas

 

[Disgusted Driver]

In my experience, if you have sticky surge and the PAX is not paying surge you get the same dollar amount you expected. If the PAX is in a surge area when they request, and they pay 2x, 3x, 4x, or whatever, and the result is Uber getting what, in their opinion, is too high of a share of the fare, they add to your surge payment to make it "fair", in their eyes.

I've never been able to figure out what percentage they think is fair, when my surge is adjusted the end result is inconsistent from ride to ride. Seems like they just give extra "if they feel like it". I'm sure there's some kind of formula but i have no idea what it is.

That was exactly what was going on with sticky surge and rate card trips. That all changed in my area when they switched to the fixed rate fare. Now we get a ping with a specific total, you have to do some quick mental figuring to determine if the pay is worth it. The funny thing is that even with a given surge, say $3, the fares will still vary, one might pay $1 a mile + the $3 surge, while another might pay $2 a mile plus the $3 surge. (talking about relatively short trips). I did however get a 5.0 surge multiplier on a ping last weekend, and it paid out. $140 for 40 minutes of driving (pax paid $200). Reminded me of the good old days!

 

[Terrapin Bound]

That all changed in my area when they switched to the fixed rate fare.

That hasn't hit my area yet. I warned Uber, I will stop driving if the attempt such shenanigans. Clearly it had an effect.

Seriously though, it seems like a money loser, though I don't know quite how it works. Something about a set fare, typically lower, and sucks to be you if there's a traffic jam. The only advantage is seeing the destination maybe? Don't know, hoping I won't have to find out.

 

[bobby747]

You guys have it wrong.. 1st off off by the time you get a sticky surge that's what you're guaranteed to earn. If for some reason the passenger is paying a really high premium the reason why your adjustment is higher it's because they share the profit with you.. It still ends up being 50-50 if you're lucky 60-40.
It's called back end surge. Lyft won't give it to you

 

[Disgusted Driver]

That hasn't hit my area yet. I warned Uber, I will stop driving if the attempt such shenanigans. Clearly it had an effect.

Seriously though, it seems like a money loser, though I don't know quite how it works. Something about a set fare, typically lower, and sucks to be you if there's a traffic jam. The only advantage is seeing the destination maybe? Don't know, hoping I won't have to find out.

I thought the same thing but it's actually worked out very well for me (which can change at any moment). What happens is that generally short rides pay a little more and long rides pay a little lower than they would have with time and mileage. My experience if you hit a jam or detour is that they will adjust it a little higher to compensate. It works really well if you follow the following rules: There needs to be a quest, only take short trips, work the promotions (quest, CTB, surge) and only drive when it's busy so you can get stacked pings. A stacked ping gives you a second chance on a CTB if you don't like the current one you can change the destination slightly i the app as you drop off the current pax to lose the stacked ping and try again.
I'm doing less mileage as a result and grossing $40 + on Friday and Saturday nights. If there are no promos then all bets are off, it's hard to see enough consistent surge to make it worth it in my area. I can't tell you how many times it's saved me from a long trip to nowhere at base rates 20 minutes before the bars close and all hell breaks loose.

 

[Terrapin Bound]

You guys have it wrong.. 1st off off by the time you get a sticky surge that's what you're guaranteed to earn. If for some reason the passenger is paying a really high premium the reason why your adjustment is higher it's because they share the profit with you.. It still ends up being 50-50 if you're lucky 60-40.
It's called back end surge. Lyft won't give it to you

That sounds about right. When I have a second driver app open to keep an eye on the heat map, I'll see the rates go up while I'm locked in to a $6 surge. I often cancel that $6 surge when I'm on the way to it and I see the map's gone up to $18 or so, knowing I'll get a ping at the higher rate soon enough. If your logic holds, I'd be getting the late-breaking surge anyways.

Next time I'm out I'll experiment with that premise; could help keep my cancellation rate down. Also would help $6 Sally keep the ride she's booked even though $18 Eddie has come along in the meantime.

 

[Terrapin Bound]

It works really well if you follow the following rules: There needs to be a quest, only take short trips, work the promotions (quest, CTB, surge) and only drive when it's busy so you can get stacked pings.

I haven't had a promo offer since the first one that got me driving again, sometime last fall.

During the closing hours I work, knowing the destination during the surge is essential. That's why I text and ask before pickup, and why my cancellation rate hovers around 30%. Probably get DA'd for it one day, but damned if I'm gonna take a final destination 40 miles further away from home at 2:30am.

It's a safety thing, see. Not destination discrimination

 

[Ted Fink]

I thought the same thing but it's actually worked out very well for me (which can change at any moment). What happens is that generally short rides pay a little more and long rides pay a little lower than they would have with time and mileage. My experience if you hit a jam or detour is that they will adjust it a little higher to compensate. It works really well if you follow the following rules: There needs to be a quest, only take short trips, work the promotions (quest, CTB, surge) and only drive when it's busy so you can get stacked pings. A stacked ping gives you a second chance on a CTB if you don't like the current one you can change the destination slightly i the app as you drop off the current pax to lose the stacked ping and try again.
I'm doing less mileage as a result and grossing $40 + on Friday and Saturday nights. If there are no promos then all bets are off, it's hard to see enough consistent surge to make it worth it in my area. I can't tell you how many times it's saved me from a long trip to nowhere at base rates 20 minutes before the bars close and all hell breaks loose.

How does the driver change the destination, exactly. I’ve never figured this out in 12000 trips

 

[Terrapin Bound]

nm

 

[Disgusted Driver]

How does the driver change the destination, exactly. I’ve never figured this out in 12000 trips

On Uber you just tap the destination and click on the pencil to change it. Sometimes it's at the bottom of the list of turn by turn directions. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll do a screen cap.

 

[Ted Fink]

On Uber you just tap the destination and click on the pencil to change it. Sometimes it's at the bottom of the list of turn by turn directions. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll do a screen cap.

I've tried to find it and can't, please do share screen shots . Thanks!

 

[Boca Ratman]

This kind of thing happens most nights. I never know if I'll get flat rate or what appears to be the old multiplier-type payout. Anyone else run into this? What gives? And is there any way to tell which payout it will be?

You get the flat amount when you get a request outside of the actual surging area.

If your pax is paying a actuql surged rate, and the trip is more than a few miles, you'll get an increased surge.

I use the rider app to see if they are paying a surged rate, if they are and it's more than a few mile trip, 90% of the time I get additional surge.

Also, there's usually a lag between the rider and driver app. They start paying more 5-8 minutes before a surge shows on our app. And goes down while we still get the sticky surge. The key is to get requests while they are paying a higher surge.

I

 

[Disgusted Driver]

I've tried to find it and can't, please do share screen shots . Thanks!

I won't be driving till Friday so I'll post some shots then if nobody does before then.

 

[Nats121]

It's a safety thing, see. Not destination discrimination

Drivers who don't commit "destination discrimination" are cheating themselves.

Accepting work offers without pertinent info is dumb, period