[Chris_Elston]

I can't tell you for sure what you can do this year, but here is something you can do NEXT year.

Find a local drayage (warehouse) or third party person in your local town that has a dock and is willing to store your crate for you. Next year, drop your crate off at this local warehouse then get that local warehouse to give you on company letter head that you delivered the crate to them and it's out of your teams hands by the FIRST deadline, then schedule your FEDEX pickup at that local drayage or warehouse. Then if something like this happens again you have proof to FIRST that you dropped your crate and it was out of your hands by the deadline. You just need to mail your letter from that local warehouse to FIRST as per the rules say. If FedEX is late coming to the warehouse to pickup your crate, it shouldn't matter because you've done your part by getting rid of the crate to someone else and have written proof that it was delivered.

For now, if you have a dock shipping department that has been holding the crate for you waiting for FedEX, you might be able to get them to vouch that the crate has been out of your hands and provide a letter head that you now have 4 days to get and mailed to FIRST. Don't waste time, 4 days is ticking. Dunno if that helps or not, but don't rely on FedEx because sometimes weather can be a problem for them to come and get your crate.

The local drayage thing is explained in the rules as well.

4.8.3 in the Robot Transportation

4.8.6 address to snail mail letter to FIRST. Make sure it's the original ink signed copy. Make a copy for yourself and use a trackable service such as fedex or UPS.