Herbert Pinder Jr. had only been an Uber driver for a few weeks before he saw an issue with how drivers find riders during surge pricing. But instead of simply suggesting to Uber that they address the issue, he decided to launch his own product to handle it. But that's par for the course for Pinder. After computer science studies at the University of Michigan and University of Maryland and a career spanning Army intelligence, IT consulting and Web entrepreneurship, creating what he came to call WhereMySurgeApp fit right in on his resumé.
"Uber is a phenomenal concept and company," Pinder said. But finding areas with surge pricing, he said, "is something drivers are always talking about."
WhereMySurgeApp is a Web tool and app that displays a map indicating where Uber surge pricing is going on and when the last surge there occurred. After first testing it in the D.C. area, Pinder officially put it out into the world a few months ago, including a premium $15-per-month version with features like alerts for when a surge is beginning and long-term charts on surge activity and prediction.
It's easy to be skeptical of third-party apps, but plenty of Uber drivers have been happy to try out Pinder's product, and much of the feedback has been positive. Pinder pointed to the posting of WhereMySurgeApp on ProductHunt as a moment when awareness and usage took off exponentially. Even local and regional Uber managers have been checking it out, Pinder said.
"I want to build a business that will be reliable," Pinder said. "That's how I plant my stake and people notice that."
This is hardly Pinder's first time launching a new digital product. While living in Michigan, he created a YouTube-like video hub specifically for an African-American audience called BlackBottom.com, named for the area of Detroit. He started his own business as an IT consultant and developer, with Barca Technologies, in 2012. Working for himself and moving with his wife to Annendale, Va., led him to having the time to try out being an Uber driver, and the ultimate decision to create WhereMySurgeApp.
"I began basically as a consultant," Pinder said. "Developing software was an extension of my work, but I've always been building products on my own, doing R&D work as I go and keeping up with the tech scene. That's how I saw a space for me to design WhereMySurgeApp."
WhereMySurgeApp uses data from the Uber driver app along with Pinder's own sources and algorithms. Pinder now works out of the UberOffices co-working space in Tysons Corner, with his team of developers mainly working remotely from Michigan and Texas. Although he mostly uses remote testing and driver feedback to improve WhereMySurgeApp, he still occasionally goes out driving himself, to make sure he's keeping abreast of what being an Uber driver is like.
"It solves a pain point, and that's where you find success."
Pinder is working on new features and rolling out WhereMySurgeApp as broadly as possible. Although he wouldn't comment on specifics, Pinder said he's also started getting some interest from investors for a funding round. He contends that WhereMySurgeApp is a win for not only drivers, but Uber users and the company itself; in other words, it could be a tempting prospect for investors wanting to get in on Uber's success even if they aren't investing in the company directly.
"It helps drivers make more money, which kicks back more money to Uber," Pinder said. "And users get more cars in the area so they don't have to wait as long. It solves a pain point, and that's where you find success."
