Chief Delphi - FRC Blogged - Robot Transportation and Robot Transportation Exemptions

Posted on the FRC Blog, 11/13/13: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ion-Exemptions

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Robot Transportation and Robot Transportation Exemptions

Blog Date: Wednesday, November 13, 2013 - 15:51

Our wonderful Team Support Group - these are the helpful folks at FIRST that respond to team phone calls and emails - asked that we include some information about robot transportation in the FRC Blog this week.

All teams must “Bag and Tag” their robots. Teams are also required to transport their bagged and tagged robot to their competition event. When transporting their robot, teams may use any transportation method they wish (at their own risk and expense), as long as the robot remains sealed in the bag. You must bring your own bagged, tagged and sealed robot into the venue through the designated robot entrance. Teams will not have access to the loading docks or forklifts; we recommend bringing a rolling cart or dolly to facilitate the load in.

If transporting your robot to the competition yourself is a hardship for your team, you may request a Robot Transport Exemption. FIRST will provide two (2) shipments to teams granted the Exemption. With this Exemption, your team will be exempt from the physical transportation of the robot to the venue; however, teams are still required to Bag and Tag their robot.

Robot Transport Exemptions (formerly known as Bag & Tag Exemptions): For the 2014 season, we have renamed Bag & Tag Exemptions to Robot Transport Exemptions in an effort to make it clear that all teams must bag and tag their robots on Stop Build Day.

Basic Exemption Information:

You may request a Robot Transport Exemption by emailing frclogistics@usfirst.org.
Include as much detail as you can in your request, explaining your hardship, and use the subject line: “Robot Transport Exemption Request, Team XXXX”, with your team number in place of ‘XXXX’.
Only teams that have requested and been granted a Robot Transport Exemption will be able to make use of the FedEx shipping donation.
Robot Transport Exemptions are for Regional Events only. Robot Transport Exemptions to District Events will not be permitted.
Robot Transport Exemption requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Not every request will be granted. Exemptions must be submitted by December 6, 2013.
If you request an Exemption but then find you do not have a need for it, you must notify FIRST HQ that you no longer require an Exemption by emailing frclogistics@usfirst.org.
Team requests for Exemptions to consecutive weekly events will not be granted.
If an Exemption is approved, FIRST HQ will establish a robot storage/drayage location near the event site. Robot transportation services under the FedEx donation will be provided for that event and FIRST HQ will provide shipping instructions for approved teams.

DO NOT SHIP ROBOTS DIRECTLY TO THE COMPETITION SITE! All Robot Transport Exemptions must use the Drayage service that is provided by FIRST. Competition Sites will not be set up to receive individual robots shipped directly by teams and your robot could easily get misplaced or misdirected, leaving your team without a robot to use in competition.

NOTE: Robots with exemptions and those attending the FIRST Championship must be bagged and tagged with the robot shipped in a shipping crate. Teams may not open the bag until an onsite Inspector has approved your team to do so.

More details, including Championship shipping instructions, will be provided in the 2014 FRC Administrative Manual.

I’ll blog again soon

Frank