How an Uber Driver Error-Proofs Frequent Travelers
My recent travels have given me the opportunity to converse with many Uber drivers. These chats typically start with a few casual questions: "How long have you been driving?" "Do you like it?" "Where should I go for dinner?" Most riders might stop there, but if I detect their engagement in the conversation, I bring a little Dr. Deming into the mix. Drivers linked up with ride‐sharing services are a treasure trove of operations data who, as independent contractors, have developed their own revenue‐maximizing heuristics. They know which office park they should wait in at 3 p.m., when to stop driving at night, and — my favorite — the number of cars in the airport queue that signals it's not worth waiting around.
