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Disappearing Surge Zones - Any new info or is this an Uber Scam?

2K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  NickyBoy 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

I have recently started driving in saturated Sydney - not much luck despite being 5 stars and working in the areas which Uber has recommended (along with times). I have run into three situations where I have been in surge areas, expected to collect a surge fare and then out of the blue with little warning, the area disappears and the surge fare is non-existent! Can anyone else attest to this phenomenon? I have seen it in other parts of the world based on the posts here...
 
#2 ·
To be expected. An area would surge because there are too many pax and not enough drivers. As soon as it surges, all drivers in surrounding areas try to get into it, so you get a sudden influx of drivers, plus pax don't want to pay surge so cancel and wait 10 minutes (for the surge to end), plus whatever caused the surge (end of event/etc) is over. Surges (especially in a small/isolated area) will be short lived. If you see high surge over a large area, then your chances are better, especially if the surge rates are still increasing.

Ideally, what I think would be hugely beneficial for drivers (and pax really) would be a proper heat map, with green areas showing too many drivers in the area, and red being too many pax. That way if I end up in (insert area I'm not familiar) and look at the map, I can see if I should wait here, or move two suburbs over where there is less drivers/more pax. This would balance the numbers before a surge hits, and should lead to less surging overall (which in itself isn't my personal preference, surges are good money as a driver)....
 
#3 ·
The only way to spy on whether or not an area currently has too many drivers or not is to use the Passenger App and look at the number of car icons..
I fully agree with providing additional visibility to negate everyone being in the same areas at the same times. From an operational perspective, Uber should have capabilities to administer this function (SMS Spam messages to everyone on the network tend to be a bit irritating). I have yet to experience a surge payout, hence the question! :)
 
#6 ·
Everyone must be driving today as no one is posting.

I'm not driving but though I'd check the driver app. 7pm sydney and its surging in so many places

Cronulla area up to 3x. But it came as quick as it went. By 7.05, all crunulla areas were down to about 1.4 times

Rand wick through to marounra and up to Bondi, every surge multiplier up to 3x

Avalon, manly, northern beaches all surging. Up to 2.9 x

Hornsby, thru to st Ives is surging

Random spots of one hexagon everywhere at 1.2 or 1.4 times surge

I hope a few of you are out there making a killing tonight

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#9 ·
Now ten minues later and look how much it's changed.

No one in Dee why ants to go out anymore after they have seen 3x surge

Ten minutes later and all northern beaches surge is gone. From 3x to nothing

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Smart ass people always wait till surge drops, then the flood of requests starts. dump ass drivers accept those requests, but some drivers find that time as a good time for having break. At the end of the day we see who earns more.
 
#8 ·
I have recently started ubberring and have been in surge zones and have picked up passengers while it's clearly surging in that area and have not received a surged fare. So I'm starting to believe the whole surge system is just a scheme to get drivers into that zone. When I explained this to Uber at concord head office they were baffled and couldn't explain it. After reading some of the posts here I am forming a very different opinion of Uber. I am a big believer of the sharing economy. I use Airbnb and I feel they are a lot fairer and care more about their hosts. It's a shame that a company as big as uber isn't looking after its drivers, after all, where would they be without them?
 
#15 ·
My total trips last week=50
Got around 10 surge jobs.
Total surge amount earned=$60

It's not worth chasing surges. Just work out what hours has the demands that suit you. Short trip/ long trip?
Agreed. The last few surge fares I've had have all been under $20. Riders are getting wise to the idea of only going short fares during surge. Not point chasing surges anymore really..
 
#19 ·
I used to sit in my lounge room watching tv & going online for the surge then off again when it stopped... Good thing about doing it from home is it takes you a couple of minutes to get outside & in the car... Got a lot of cancel fee's for walking out my front gate :cool:
 
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