[BB] Bag & Tag in brief and MAR demystified

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Not ideal, but I guess you could just ship it privately?

I think the question then becomes, "To where?"

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by EricH

I think the question then becomes, "To where?"

Uhhhh.... to a drayage facility? If you're paying to ship it privately, why not pay for a drayage facility?

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Uhhhh.... to a drayage facility? If you're paying to ship it privately, why not pay for a drayage facility?

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

Either that or a sponsor's local facility.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Uhhhh.... to a drayage facility? If you're paying to ship it privately, why not pay for a drayage facility?

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

Originally Posted by Wiifi

Either that or a sponsor's local facility.

That's exactly what I'm getting at. Any one of those needs to be arranged well in advance; and then what do you do with the crate while you're at the event? (I'm not exactly certain a drayage facility would allow a few people in to open a crate, remove stuff, close the crate, return a few days later, and reverse the process, either.)

What I would suggest is that one or two teams in the area of any given event make themselves available as "ship targets"; that is, places that teams needing to ship for whatever weird reason can send their crates to. Ideally, the teams receiving the crates would also have a transport vehicle for 2-3 robots (and if it's rented, then it's only fair that the teams who ship there at least help with fuel) and take all the robots to the venue. It's probably the "least pain" method, and it increases the work for multiple teams, but it ought to work fairly well.

[buildmaster5000]

Originally Posted by EricH

<snip>

What I would suggest is that one or two teams in the area of any given event make themselves available as "ship targets"; that is, places that teams needing to ship for whatever weird reason can send their crates to. Ideally, the teams receiving the crates would also have a transport vehicle for 2-3 robots (and if it's rented, then it's only fair that the teams who ship there at least help with fuel) and take all the robots to the venue. It's probably the "least pain" method, and it increases the work for multiple teams, but it ought to work fairly well.

It would be a wise idea for the "ship targets" to be
a) close to the competition venue (like 190 for the WPI Regional, or a team in downtown DC for the DC regional...)
b) well publicized by FIRST. It would make the teams in the UK, Brazil, etc very happy. And FIRST would get brownie points from all of us in the US.

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

I'm sure anyone's robot is safe in FIRSTer's hands.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Or even to a local team's facility? I'd imagine that someone would be nice enough to take in a robot for a few days.

This is a great idea, the only thing you have to worry about is getting that robot to the competition from the location you ship it to. I like the idea though!

Cass

[waialua359]

Great suggestions that we thought of.
However, the bigger issue is having to spend time, effort and resources to get it to event and from event to the next regional/championships......instead of the pack the robot and put signs on it, leaving it in the pit.
According to Bill, teams still ship robots to championships in a crate, right?
So what if you are going to CMP after just 1 regional?
Technically, all regionals would have to make provisions for that....I'd assume.

[kinganu123]

What???
Middlesex County isn't on there (Team 224 is in NJ), so are we not in MAR?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by kinganu123

What???
Middlesex County isn't on there (Team 224 is in NJ), so are we not in MAR?

The county listing was PA counties. NJ is a state, and is listed along with DE.

[kinganu123]

Originally Posted by EricH

The county listing was PA counties. NJ is a state, and is listed along with DE.

0, wow
Thanks!

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by EricH

I think the question then becomes, "To where?"

Glenn,

If you sign up for the Queen City Regional and you are not able to get an exemption. I will personally except the crate at my home and bring it with me in our team trailer for load in.

[Flalex72]

For the past two years we have had to ship our robot to the CMP from the home of team 1241, Rick Hansen SS in Mississauga Ontario, because FedEx does not offer shipping to our city. Last year a team from Mexico who attended GTR also had their crate shipped to Rick Hansen both in and out, and I would guess this is how the process would work for other teams who can't bring a robot with them. We had qualified the week before and brought the crate with us to GTR in a pickup, but in 2010 there was a team that didn't have one, and had to borrow one from a local team. We have to ship to a warehouse in Toronto on the way back, so a local company can pick it up and truck it home where FedEx doesn't cover.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Nichols

Glenn,

If you sign up for the Queen City Regional and you are not able to get an exemption. I will personally except the crate at my home and bring it with me in our team trailer for load in.

I can vouch for the size of said team trailer. Tis quite large.