FedEx problems

[Matt C]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

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

FIRST works with you though, just work with them.

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

[scottydoh]

Originally Posted by Matt C

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

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

[Richard McClellan]

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.

[dtengineering]

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

[Jon Stratis]

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

[DonRotolo]

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.

[BrendanB]

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!"

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

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

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.

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.

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

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.

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.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by jgannon

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.

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.

[DRH2o]

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.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Richard McClellan

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.

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

[dsmoker]

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

[O'Sancheski]

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

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Matt C

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

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...

Originally Posted by scottydoh

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

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.