FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

Anyone else get the call this morning from FEDEX saying they can't pickup until Wednesday? Today about 8:00am, I got a call from a CS rep at FEDEX and was told there was not enough trucks with lift gates to pick us up today. They said they could pick up on Wednesday. The rep was very nice about it and even knew of the ship date deadline. We were able to convince them to allow us to hoist our crate into the truck by hand.....

As of 1:15pm.... our robot is on it's way

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

up in canada so no, but thats scary. Id imagine the feeling you had since if you cant get it on that woulda been a problem...

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

I am getting calls in Maryland, so apparently there is an East Coast lift-gate shortage....;)

Teams should contact FRCTeams@usfirst.org if they have any questions like this. You will probably need to write an email explaining, but there are teams that will have a pick-up tomorrow due to no fault of their own. FRCTeams will advise you on the procedure.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

You're not alone in the Northeast as well - also, a solution is discussed in this thread since FIRST is aware of the problem.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ighlight=fedex

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

We also got a call. FedEx offered us a pickup truck pickup and we accepted. I just had to honcho a few strong arms to get the crate into the pickup...

It's gone...

Sleep...

Mike

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

I guess I should go buy some stock in TUMS. Looks like the supply in the Northeast is about to disappear.

I'm about to head over to see if ours has been picked up yet. It's located at a company with a loading dock so we don't need a lift gate, plus the company is located across the street from FedEx. I figure if worse comes to worse we could just push it there.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

What I meant to say was this would be worth doing just for the photo opportunity. :)

Up to 3 calls so far this afternoon.... I don't think pushing the crate is an option for any of them.
As mentioned in the link to the other thread, FRCTeams is requiring teams to fax an explanation on school letterhead tomorrow, signed by principal. But I still recommend calling FRCTeams as long as they are open today....

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

yep that would be epic...

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

We've received the same notice from FedEx here in San Antonio. Apparently, FedEx has one lift-gate truck for a city of 1.3 million. Go Figure...

But not to worry. FIRST says that an email from your principal stating that your robot is crated and ready for shipment, (and that you're not working on it) is sufficient. (As per my phone conversation 30 minutes ago.)

Good Luck!

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

School is closed this week. Principal is unavailable and is clueless about what is going on with ship date.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

A truck came with a "broken" lift. Some students came out of the class near the shop it was at and hefted it onto the truck.
Brian

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

I understand. Plus lots of teams with no principal associated. Just call FRCTeams.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

FEDEX if you are reading this, WE do however thank you for your very generous donation once again....

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

Fortunately, we didn't need a lift truck as the school has a loading dock. Not that the long and winding driveway to back up on was any better... Or, come to think of it, carrying the robot down a flight of stairs or carting it across the parking lot.

A little before 2pm the truck arrived. Oddly, it seems that all of Mass. gets trucked to Albany for sorting, then back to the Boston dropoff site. It's just the way FedEx does it.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do this evening...

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

I delivered our bot and 337's bot to Pittsburgh drayage warehouse this morning and have signed receipt for FIRST. Saved a bunch in shipping since we will use the two free for our trip to Palmetto and return home.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

It was a little dicey for us too, for a while. School has a loading dock, so we didn't need the lift, but it seems the box truck we needed was first in Wolcott (hope you enjoyed it, 1071) and then Meriden (hola, Gus!) Was supposed to be to us by 4:00, then got a call it wouldn't be there until "way after " 5:00! They wanted to send a 48' long big rig, but it wouldn't fit back where the dock is. Eventually found another truck and it came just before 5:00. About half that length, but still had trouble getting in and out due to a whole bunch of cars parked for a basketball game!! All is well, bots gone and now I can sleep. Or make that do some actual work for my job!!:yikes:

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

Did they say they were going to Old Lyme next?

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

We were one of the lucky teams to have this not happen to us and the driver we had was very nice and was happy to pick up our robot:D

the truck came at 3:30 and had two other robots in it.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

FedEx sent an empty semi to pick up our bot. Apparently, the truck that was supposed to be there broke down. We had our robot crated, and the entire shop cleaned up well before the truck got there, so everyone got to leave at a reasonable time on ship day for once!

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

They didnt pick up ours until almost 3 pm when they where spose to pick it up at 8 am, my dad says that he thinks he read somehwere that it was suppose to be there(Portland Reigionals that is 1&1/2 hours away) at 5 pm TODAY

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

Makes sense since traffic on 91 south was at a stand still in North Haven/New Haven as always around 5pm when I left work heading the opposite way.
Can't wait to see what 558 has in store this year!
See you in Hartford & Good luck!

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

From my perspective this delay is good news. If FEDEX didn't have enough trucks, it means that FIRST is storming the world in a far greater way than many of us thought. I don't know what the deal was with our robot but all the mentors seemed much more relaxed last night than usual. Then again, there's probably not a shortage of bored FEDEX drivers in Oh God, New York/Southern Canada who are always happy to drive to Rochester. *Sigh* now it's time to get Chairman's Essay and Video sent out. Somebody please hit me with a 2x4.

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

Since our first event is in San Diego, we shipped a secondary crate this year. What's strange is that FedEx came in the morning for the secondary crate, then came back later in the afternoon for the robot! So we took up 2 truck trips :-P

Re: FEDEX calls to cancel?
 

If you're a Connecticut team which did not get picked up yesterday please e-mail me per my e-mail out to team leaders last night.... in addition to letting FIRST know. Thanks.