You've seen it: a surge zone lights up across town, and the instinct is to drive straight there. Before you go, do the math — the surge only pays if you actually get there in time, and if the extra driving doesn't eat it first.
The hidden cost of the chase:
- The drive to the surge zone is unpaid. Fuel, time, and wear on the vehicle all count, and none of it is covered by the surge.
- Surge fades. By the time you arrive, the zone can be full of other drivers who had the same idea — and the surge can be gone.
- The trip back matters too. If the surge job drops you far from home, the empty return is another unpaid stretch.
A quick check before you chase:
Say the surge promises an extra $8 on the next trip (illustrative example, not a real fare). The zone is 15 minutes away. Fuel and vehicle wear for that drive cost about $4, and those 15 minutes could have gone to a normal trip near you instead. If the surge is gone when you arrive, you spent $4 and 15 minutes for nothing. If it is still there, you kept about $4 of the $8 — and only if the job itself is a good one.
The rule is simple: chase the surge only when the extra pay clearly beats the cost of getting there — fuel, time, and the empty miles back. If it doesn't, stay where you are and take the next good job close by.
That's the habit ShiftLog is built around: knowing what each shift really earned after costs, so the decision comes from numbers, not from a glowing map.
ShiftLog is free, works offline, and needs no account: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shiftlog.app
