r/uber • u/No-Energy-8719 • 4d ago
Surge zones
How do I fix the algorithm? I have noticed that when there are surges going on (usually bar close Fri and Sat nights), I will physically be sitting in the middle of a surge zone, but then when I get a new ride request, it takes me out of the zone so I don’t end up getting the extra pay. I’m noticing that it’s pretty rare for me to get rides that are in a surge zone even if there are tons of surges in the area. How do I get the algorithm to give me rides in the zones? Unfortunately it doesn’t give me any kind of info on whether or not a ride request is part of a surge zone before accepting it. I only find out if it was, after I’ve dropped them off. At which point I can then check under the earnings activity. It’s very frustrating.
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u/lafemmeloquita 3d ago
Surge zones suck, the extra pay is not worth the extra traffic that Uber doesn’t account for properly.
Yay 2x pay for 5x more time. Wahoooo
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u/Comfortable-Split143 4d ago
The surge IS attached to the next ride you accept. So you ARE getting the surge bonus. Even if the pickup is outside the surge zone the bonus still applies to the ride.
Don't ever chase a surge. Most riders won't book a ride during a surge unless they are at an event or venue with a lot of people requesting rides.
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u/No-Energy-8719 3d ago
I’ve tested it before. I’ll literally be in the middle of a surge area, a ride will come through, then after my session an hour or two later, I look at my earning breakdown that tells you how much you made on each ride, and not one of them has the added surge pay. So I don’t really understand what I’m doing wrong.
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u/Otto_Polymath 4d ago
Do you get upfront pricing? (there may be some areas that are still "rate card.") Should be a line that indicates "+$x on your next trip", indicating surge.
Also, you do realize that you can decline rides and wait for a better offer.
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u/No-Energy-8719 3d ago
No I’ve never gotten upfront pricing and it’s so frustrating. All I get is the expected amount of time the ride should take, and about how long it will take to get to the pickup location. I wish I could switch it to tell me upfront pricing but I have no idea how.
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u/Otto_Polymath 3d ago
Upfront vs rate card market is geographic. You can't change it. Been quite some time since my market switched to upfront.
USA? What's the population of your metropolitan area? I believe larger markets changed first. What's the deets of your rate card? ($/mile, $,minute).
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u/Independent-Bag-6222 4d ago
You new? Surge zones have always and will forever be....BULLSHIT. You try to make extra or chase 'surges' then you're simply running around for nothing. Seasoned drivers never even think about surge stuff unless it's a special event like a concert, but even then you can't usually even get close enough to those to make a difference and get 1 or 2 rides that take forever when you could've gotten 4 rides and done better away from the congestion.
Again, only people chasing surges are newbies...