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Surge strategy. Opinions wanted!

1K views 32 replies 18 participants last post by  k4ever 
#1 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it’s a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I’m wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there’s also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
 
#2 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
You should already have the knowledge if you make $677 a day while bullying every single forum member along the way.
 
#7 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
Take the 2.0
 
#10 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
When ur taking the 45+ lower surge im taking the maxed surge for a few miles down.
My strategy is same as when i gamble...ALL MONEY IN NO MONEY OUT. ???
 
#12 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
Never take a base 45 plus during rush hour. $20 for 1 hour is a loss. You'll save more money not taking it.
 
#18 ·
Map Rectangle Font World Screenshot

This was a 250pt n sure enough it was going 2 miles down n could barely speak any English. Germans... they asked me if i can get them some coke... i tell them if u go to the afterparty in the warehouse district there r all the drugs u want...
So they said, take me take me. I did n gave me 40$ in tip. This is my strategy...if the ride is short, take them somewhere else...

Last week, i got a 200pt from hwood n sure enough they were going few miles to Gavilan...i tell them NOOOOOO thats bad tacos u have to try the real LA tacos. I took them to El Taurino in ktown. Got myself a free burrito, a roundtrip n a 30$ tip.
My stretegy only works 5% of the time tho lol
 
#20 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
Your first strategy should be find real job.
 
#21 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
How many declines/cancels do you
Go through to have the stars align so
Well as to get a 45+ min ride with a surge?

How are you not put on a time out after declining so much?
 
#23 ·
I live in an area which surges every morning. I drive for both Lyft and Uber and start at 8:30am. My personal strategy is to accept the first ride of 45+ minutes even if it's a smaller surge, which is often (but not always) an airport ride. Sometimes this means passing on a 2.0x or 100% PT Lyft ride, for example, to ultimately accept a lower surge (1.4x or 25-50%PT) longer ride. This seems to have worked out very well for me, but I'm wondering if any of you would adopt a different strategy?

The issue with accepting the higher surge is that it could be, and often was, someone going a few miles away, which, due to the area I live in, could chew up a ton of time AND take me out of the surge zone for the second ride. However, there's also the risk of passing on good surge rides that just happen to be less than 45 minutes.

Thoughts??
I'd say you're lucky you have that consistency. I'm sure a few of us used to do the same strategy, but surges just magically start never coming back and eventually those first morning $40-100 runs are essentially all but gone.
 
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