[jack1981]

Apparently, Uber has 'put back' the destination mode in some cities.

Uber originally started with destination mode *IMO* because they wanted to incentivize regular commuters into giving side rides on the way. But over the years, it morphed into more or less into a regular taxi service (or was driven in that direction).

Then, more recently, Uber removed Destination mode (or offered reduced rates).

But even regular (.e. full time or semi-full-time) need to be able to get back home after ending up far away. Those idle miles getting back home eat into meagre earnings.

Did Uber realize that they simply 'lost the availability' of drivers who are trying to get back home? Or did they just try another experiment on the drivers to see what happens and realized it was not worth it?

Don't know. All I know is that they re-enabled it in one or more cities. Whether they changed some other aspects of this feature (example: how long before it times out) when they re-enabled it - I don't know.

 

[June132017]

Every smart driver was on the Lyft machine destination filter to get home.

 

[KD_LA]

Every smart driver was on the Lyft machine destination filter to get home.

But... historically speaking, I've had 10x more success with Uber's DM that Lyft's DM.

 

[reg barclay]

IIRC all the cities that removed it were just experiments. They always had to weigh the amount of drivers who will take extra trips because of no DF against those who'll just go offline if they don't have it. My guess is that consideration #2 won out.

 

[jgiun1]

But... historically speaking, I've had 10x more success with Uber's DM that Lyft's DM.

Lyfts Destination only works good for town to airports here....Uber's a joke....will send you totally opposite way and five miles or more away from where you're putting address in....on weekends forget about uber here, they try to get all the gay after hour night clubs pax a ride home with filter on. Usually a 50/50 throw the dice of what you want.....kinda like everything now with Uber 50/50 pay partners, and 50/50 filters.

 

[jack1981]

But... historically speaking, I've had 10x more success with Uber's DM that Lyft's DM.

True for me as well. Lyft is more 'tight' with the route - but results in me rarely getting a ride towards destination. Uber, on the other hand is 'too loose' - takes me 3-4 miles in the opposite direction for the pickup and comes back to near starting point. Oh, well.

 

[swathdiver]

Took pax to airport and set destination for home city. Uber App said to leave airport area to get ride. I figured my best chance of getting home was a pax from the airport!

 

[May H.]

True for me as well. Lyft is more 'tight' with the route - but results in me rarely getting a ride towards destination. Uber, on the other hand is 'too loose' - takes me 3-4 miles in the opposite direction for the pickup and comes back to near starting point. Oh, well.

3-4 miles off destination? I was sent 12 miles off-route by Uber once.

 

[JimKE]

Then, more recently, Uber removed Destination mode (or offered reduced rates).

Did they go back to the original DF in those cities where they were paying 30%-50% less...or just some of the cities where they had eliminated DF completely?

 

[jack1981]

Did they go back to the original DF in those cities where they were paying 30%-50% less...or just some of the cities where they had eliminated DF completely?

Don't know. All I know is that they added DF back at least in one place where they removed it completely.

 

[Vishnu643]

Every smart driver was on the Lyft machine destination filter to get home.

the lyft machine DF sucks. It works 2 times then dies. And if you live farther than 10 miles, forget it. You better pray you get a long trip OTW home.

 

[steveK2016]

When they took it away, they did say it was a temporary test. They brought it back to Dallas a few weeks ago according to reports.

 

[Nats121]

When they took it away, they did say it was a temporary test. They brought it back to Dallas a few weeks ago according to reports.

Based on the increasing number of complaints of poor DF behavior, uber made sure they "brought back" damaged goods.

It's reminiscent of Detroit in January 2016, when uber cut the per mile rate from .60 /.56 (25% drivers) to a shocking 24 cents or (22.5 for the 25% drivers).

Surges increased exponentially, so after 3 months, uber "brought back" the per mile rate to .56/.50. The base fare rate cut remained in place.

In their typically cynical and dishonest fashion, uber bragged how they "kept their promise" to the drivers that they would "restore" the rates if the changes proved "detrimental" to the drivers.

And just like then, the "restored" product is inferior to the original.

 

[IR12]

Took pax to airport and set destination for home city. Uber App said to leave airport area to get ride. I figured my best chance of getting home was a pax from the airport!

LOL! DM isn't allowed in airport/airport queue.

 

[CTK]

Took pax to airport and set destination for home city. Uber App said to leave airport area to get ride. I figured my best chance of getting home was a pax from the airport!

Can't use destination filters at airports.

 

[Friendly Jack]

Now, the next thing we need to get rid of is Uber Pro and its manipulation of drivers.

 

[swathdiver]

LOL! DM isn't allowed in airport/airport queue.

Can't use destination filters at airports.

Anyone know the reasoning the behind this or care to speculate?

 

[jack1981]

Anyone know the reasoning the behind this or care to speculate?

Anyone know the reasoning the behind this or care to speculate?

Lyft used to allow this at airports. But Lyft followed Uber's footsteps as usual and removed it as well. Surprise!

As to the reason, all I can speculate is that it gave them more control.

The are not thinking very deeply. The whole system would work better if destination mode was actually allowed *ALL THE TIME* - EXCEPT FOR when a driver is not available in the direction the pax needs to go.

 

[Z129]

Destination Filters should make the entire system more reliable. I'm surprised that Uber/Lyft doesn't see that. More destination filters for the drivers is the solution to supersaturation of drivers while maintaining reliability of the platform. Not every driver will use them. But those willing to wait will still get trips going in their desired direction. Maybe neither company really has the tech for this. Both of their respective filters are kind of hit and miss as it is, which kind of proves that they don't really know what they're doing. JMO.

 

[EaglesFan]

I'm in the Philly market and here they reduced what we got for DF rides. The email said it was because overuse of DF was increasing pickup times and decreasing earnings of drivers who didn't use them. And they also said they would redistribute the money they took back to drivers who didn't use DF that week. And it said it was an experiment.

Here's my take. I think they do want to discourage people from using DF to cherry pick rides during surges but I think they chose this method of dealing with it since they wanted to see if they could also get away with skimming more money from us and this method would kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I and a lot of drivers switched to Lyft DF and some drivers quit driving all together and I noticed the "not using DF" payments got smaller every single week which makes me think people were just switching to Lyft and that's why they ended the experiment.

I'll also add that in fact pickup times were really high in the month before they implemented this and I suspect the reason was them switching to flat rate surge and changing the rates which was very unpopular with drivers. I've noticed since then Lyft almost never surges while uber surges a lot and I suspect that has something to do with pissed off Uber drivers refusing to drive for them.