FedEx problems
 

We scheduled our pick up last Tuesday and FedEx called today saying that they had to reschedule our pick up for tomorrow. We called our regional director and she told us to call team support. Is there anything else we can do to get our robot shipped on time?

Re: FedEx problems
 

FRCTeams will issue you instructions on what you need to do. Basically it will involve signing something saying your robot was crated.
You will not be penalized if FedEx is rescheduling.

Re: FedEx problems
 

I just spent 8 hours waiting for a 10 minute pickup.
I hate shipping...

FIRST works with you though, just work with them. :)

Re: FedEx problems
 

We waited, FedEx called and they eventually arrived after 5 without a lift gate truck. (We'd confirmed that need when we originally scheduled and when I called them this afternoon.)

It's been rescheduled to tomorrow and an email has been sent to FIRST. I figured that since it was after hours for FIRST, an email would work better than a phone call. FRC Support had said that an email was fine or a phone call.

I hope tonight's snow doesn't cause any difficulties. And apparently, there's been shipping problems all over the country.

Trying to Help

Re: FedEx problems
 

1468 delivered their crate to the drayage site, there were 4 other crates there (at 4:30). They are expecting 40.

Re: FedEx problems
 

FedEx showed up when they said they would with all the right stuff. The crate was loaded and on its way in less than 10 minutes. Their driver couldn't have been nicer. In fact the last thing he did befors he got in to drive off was to wish us well in the competition.

Re: FedEx problems
 

Did you deliver to FESTO in Hauppauge? Because when 810 delivered at 5:00 there were 8 crates delivered...

Re: FedEx problems
 

2158 and 2881 are both shipping from the same place this year, and have both crates closed and ready to go. Fedex showed up around 5:15 today, loaded the 2881 robot in the truck, but while trying to lower the lift gate the second time to pick up the 2158 crate, the lift wouldn't go down! We're currently waiting for the Fedex mechanic to come fix it.

Re: FedEx problems
 

Ah, shipping. Perhaps before getting too wrung up over the minor frustrations, you might want to talk to an overseas team.

It's not too bad going Canada/USA and back (although a few important parts did spend ten days sitting in a Canada Customs warehouse before arriving on the 22nd....) but just enough of a pain that I'm glad I'm not shipping from overseas.

Jason

Re: FedEx problems
 

Fed ex was a little too prompt for my tastes... they told us 3-5, and he was there at 3:10, meaning i had to go back to work! We were the 6th crate in the truck, and by far the most colorful :)

Re: FedEx problems
 

This just goes to show you that FRC is NOT a trivial issue for FedEx. They know what we're up to, they expend significant effort to donate a lot of shipping to us, they work hard for free - for us.

That's one reason FedEx gets virtually ALL of the $40 million we (where I work) spend in shipping each year. No matter what, they come through, time after time, after time.

I think I'm going to send Mr. Ex (or whoever their CEO is) a nice thank you letter.

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Our truck was supposed to come between 2-3. It was 3:15 and there was a Fedex ground truck driving up and down the street several times. Kinda wanted to go up there and double check where he was supposed to go. "A mister Feded dude, our crate is bigger than your van!":p

The real truck was rerouted but Fedex is really generous to FIRST teams and no one should complain about that!:)

Re: FedEx problems
 

Don't make me kill you...:)

We had two robots in the shop. One went in it's own good time over to Festo two miles away in a racing trailer, while I had to wait around for 358's to ship to WPI. What a way to spend my vacation...

The FedEx driver told me the FedEx trucks were loaded with Island robots today. They all go back to West Babylon before arriving at Festo tomorrow.

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321 didn't get picked up today because the front desk of the high school wouldn't let him in! We had told the school that FedEx was coming for pickup today several times but apparently someone didn't get the message.

Thank goodness the FedEx driver was nice enough to come back and get it for us!

Re: FedEx problems
 

I wasn't trying to complain; sorry if it sounded like that! I was just trying to describe what happened and to end with the reassurance that those of us who may have had a moment or two of panic during the day aren't alone.

I know FedEx goes the extra mile for us! I'm certainly grateful for all the sponsors, especially the extra effort that Festo put into to get us our solenoids.

This is only our second year shipping a robot; I don't have years of experience to draw upon. Someday....

Trying to Help

Re: FedEx problems
 

They put too many boxes of Thin Mints in the crate and broke the lift, didn't they? That or the Tagalongs. The Shortbread cookies weigh so much less and are better with milk. Kid, I kid. Hope the mechanic got there and everything worked out.

Jane

Re: FedEx problems
 

I had confirmed yesterday that our pickup needed to be after 3:00 (we had scheduled it last week), and Fed Ex showed up at 12:15!!! Yikes!!! The kids were in class, and the robot was not in the crate!!! Fortunately, Fed Ex couldn't have been nicer. They agreed to just return after 3:00. The driver actually got there a little before 3:00, and patiently waited while the students, who didn't get out of class until 2:15, finished securing the robot. He was very interested in what we were doing, and the kids explained the whole program to him (plus we gave his some water!!!) Got the robot safely in the truck, where it joined robots from teams 228 and 999. Ours was by far the plainest crate; I tell the kids that's just because we put all the effort we have into the robot LOL:)

Re: FedEx problems
 

this happens every year... i know alot of people who are having problems with FedEx

Re: FedEx problems
 

VERY interesting how the other shipping issues thread has now vanished...

We had the same issue when arriving to the dryage facility as listed in the vanished thread. They would not accept the truck we used with a tommy lift gate. We were just a mere 4" shy of the dock level. Last year, we had no issues with using that truck and the same guy who unloaded us last year remembered us and had his hands tied.

We then rented a Ryder truck that was dock height and I made a few phone calls and realized another team would have the same issue. So, after they arrived and our rental truck arrived, we went to some side street next to the facility and transferred all of the crates into the rental truck then returned to the facility.

Next year, we are just going to go straight to a rental truck and have no problems.

Re: FedEx problems
 

816 is Lucky - We borrow our School's panel truck and drop the robot off ourselves.

On the subject of Fedex though, I think they do as good of a job as they can. I for one can't complain about any of the shipping that they've done for us in the past knowing that they donate millions and millions dollars through shipping vouchers and reduced rates for FRC teams.

Re: FedEx problems
 

I learned some interesting facts about FedEX during the shipment arrangements this year when I questioned why somethings were done the way they are.

On average FedEX freight picks up 68,000 packages a day (just crates, palletts and big stuff)

Regular FedEX peaked this past year shipping 14,000,000 packages in a single day the week before christmas.

I think 2000 crates on a single day, while a big task, is nothing fedex can't handle.

Re: FedEx problems
 

I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of the big stuff comes from places that actually have loading docks. My understanding is that the added complexity for FRC comes from the increased demand specifically for lift gate trucks.

Re: FedEx problems
 

Exploding Bacon has done that every year. We rent a truck and gather 3 or 4 crates from local teams and deliver them to the dryage space. It seems wrong to burn a FedEx credit when we live close to the place.

Happy post ship day everyone

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That wouldn't surprise me. Our first year we shipped from the school, and needed a lift gate. Since then, we've been renting a pretty nice space which, in addition to having a place in the building let us use their machine shop for two years, has a nice loading dock which makes loading the crate extremely easy.

Yesterday the Fed Ex guy was a little confused, though... he was looking for a school and thought he was in the wrong place. Once we did the whole "i'm here, where are you" "no, i'm here, where are you" bit on the phone, he pulled around the corner and saw the loading dock.

Re: FedEx problems
 

It would be nice if the Bag and Tag system was expanded to all regionals and teams. I realize that alot of teams are limited with their ability to transport the robot, but you could have a system where FedEx could cut their donation to --- let's say 1/3 of the current donation. Teams that could not transport their own robot could apply for shipping or could work with other teams to transport. I do not know all the limitations at the venues, but I am sure there are some that would couse problems with this plan. Just my thoughts.