[dtengineering]

I think the first thing you need to do is ask "do we really need to take this?" for each item in your tool box/spares box. When I read of a team taking ten KOP boxes, or a dozen batteries, I can't help but think that some judicious editing of the inventory would save a lot of hassle and cost. Remember that a) you only have a 10'x10' space in the pits, b) if you need to use a drill press there is one in the machine shop... or another team's pit and c) If you should make it all the way to Einstein, and run out of juice, every team there will be happy to lend you a battery for your next match.

On a similar note, designing your pit display for easy transportation also reduces shipping costs. Our pit display for the past four years has been designed to fit into a box not much larger than a shoe box. Well, at least the joints of the pit display fit into that box. Then when we get to wherever we are flying to (usually Toronto) we rent a minivan pop out to Home Depot, pick up some 2x4s and 2x6s and assemble a pit area using the lumber for a cost of about $30... much less than the cost of shipping. At the end of the tournament there is always a local team willing to take some free lumber back to school with them.

If, however, you absolutely must ship a heavy load of tools across the country, try contacting a local freight expeditor in the yellow pages. These are people/companies that book passage for freight on the countless semi-trailers (and other modes of commercial transport) criss-crossing the continent, and typically for fees lower than FedEx, UPS or Shepard will charge.

I guess part of what I'm getting at is that every kilo of freight shipped by air consumes more fuel and emits more greenhouse gas that each kilo shipped by ground... which has higher emissions than each kilo left at home.

Pack smart and pack light.

Jason