[Michael Blake]

We're traveling to Dallas and Lubbock from San Antonio for 2 of our 3 regionals this season.

It doesn't get much farther travel than that for potential district competitions which would be a minimum of 2 for the current price of a present-day regional if they follow the template rolled out in other states.

Although we're a Type-B team (see my earlier posts) we are rather well funded because we hustle for $$ each year and we operate with a shop donated with zero overhead.

3481 does not pay for students or mentors travel costs. In fact, if we had a $100k yearly budget I believe we still wouldn't pay for students or mentors. We do have to pay for 1 school chaperone's transportation and room but not their food. We spread that school person's cost over what the students pay. Mentors pay directly their expenses.

[EDITED]The reason for this approach, 3481's internal opinion only, is that paying for the travel costs of attending FRC competitions produces students and volunteer mentors who are truly interested and vested in the team. This may change starting next season, but probably not because then how do you chose which students and which mentors get their travel expenses covered and which do not?

Yes we have students here and there that have financial challenges so the senior team mentors get together and confidentially cover that student's costs.

We charge each student no more than $175.00 when traveling to Texas regionals and we make sure they bring $100.00 for Lunch and Dinner. We make sure we stay at inexpensive hotels that serve breakfast as part of the room cost. We put 4 students in a room. We rent CAPPS white vans. We leave Wednesday right after school from our shop but not before a nice buffet meal arranged by parents and traditionally this is trays of Panda Express--this way the first meal students have to buy is Thursday Lunch.

I believe this approach takes travel woes, at least for 3481, off the table other than how far are you willing to drive.

Hope this is helpful info...

--Michael Blake