How are surge prices calculated? When prices are surging, a multiplier to standard rates, an additional surge amount, or an upfront fare including the surge amount will be shown on your offer card. This will vary depending on your city. Uber's service fee percentage does not change during surge pricing.
How does Uber choose who gets the ride?
In the seconds after a rider requests a ride, we evaluate nearby drivers and riders in one batch. We then pair riders and drivers in the distribution, aiming to reduce the average wait time for everyone, not just the closest pair. This helps keep things moving and rides reliable across the network.
Who benefits from surge pricing ∗?
I find that, relative to a counterfactual with uniform pricing, surge pricing increases total welfare by 3.53% of gross revenue. The gains mainly go to riders: rider surplus increases by 6.97% of gross revenue, whereas driver surplus and platform prof- its decrease by 1.97% and 1.42% of gross revenue, respectively.