Originally Posted by
pinniped
How easy is it for you, as a driver, to react to surge pricing? Say your own personal threshold is $1.50/mile: is it easy for you to be "off" at regular times but "on" at 1.5x or above? Or do you kind of have to know in advance when the surge times/neighborhoods are likely to be? Do you get a push notification when you're "off" telling you what the surge rate is, enticing you to go "on"?
I'll admit, as a rider I think of it in very simplistic terms - the presence of dynamic pricing effectively renders Uber's base rate almost moot. They could theoretically make it $0.01/mile and make it *extremely* dynamic, although I suppose there's some degree of marketing value in the fact that, at most times, the multiplier is 1.0.
But again, I'm simplistically assuming that the analytics, notifications, and targeting of the surge algorithms work really damn well...
Actually, you are spot on about your assumptions. Many of us in L.A. have started driving only Surge trips. The App is quite effective at letting us know where and when it is surging...it can be hit and miss, but one learns it over time and it becomes a bit more profitable. Uber has publicly stated that 'Surge is broken' and they desire to end it. Simply because many riders do not like it.
In my opinion, if Uber/Lyft would just charge 75% of that areas Taxi rate (no surge except late-late hours) I think the majority of drivers and passengers would be happier.