Hello, I am part of a rookie team that quite unexpectedly qualified for championships due to us being on the finalist alliance and wildcards being generated. We’ve been frantically trying to organize shipping and travel arrangements after realizing that we need to have our robot shipped out by tomorrow. We’ve heard from other teams that FIRST offers free shipping of robots via FedEx. However, we haven’t been able to find the details of this areangement online. Does anyone know where we can find out more about shippig procedures?
Congratulations! Now relax for second, once your team pays the registration, your lead mentor will receive this email.
Hello Team,
Congratulations on receiving a spot at the 2016 FIRST Championship. All teams MUST ship their robot to the Championship event.
In order to begin to process your shipping documents, we will need you to supply us with your shipping information as soon as possible. To do so, please enter all required fields on the Championship Robot Transportation Information form (link to form withheld) and be sure to complete the form in a timely manner.
Please note that it can take up to two weeks for us to complete your shipping documents. Once we have completed your shipping documents, they will be emailed to you along with further instructions. After you receive the documents, you will be able to schedule your pickup date.
If your team received a Robot Transport Exemption for a Regional event, you must organize your shipment to Championship. However, providing your shipping information in the above form will allow us to create your shipping documents home.
Please let us know if you have any questions in the meantime.
Go Teams!
Sincerely,
FIRST® Robotics Competition Logistics Support
72dpi_sm2
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
200 Bedford Street | Manchester, NH 03101 | www.firstinspires.org
You can also find some of the information in section 5.7 of the Admin Manual, including a link to the crate specs. (I believe one of your team mentors will want that link…)
Thank you all so much for the help! I have a few clarifying questions:
Are there any forms/paperwork that our team needs to complete for shipping, outside of those referenced in the email?
Is it true that our robot needs to be shipped out by tomorrow? The email seems to say that scheduling pickup can take some time. It says here that it needs to be picked up by Tuesday (tomorrow), but it’s an unofficial source and I’d like to be certain of its validity.
That particular document is a couple of years out of date; the links go to the 2014 Manual (and Steele Meetings no longer does the hotels etc for teams). Not quite sure who linked you there (though I have my suspicions based on the original author).
I would go with the email (your Main and Alternate contacts should have it by now) as it’s most definitely current. If that says that the shipping arrangements can take a couple of weeks, then that’s the way it is.
At this point, you should definitely have your bagged robot and lockup form ready to load, and your crate under construction if not completed. You’ll want to get a quick weight of both (and probably the robot cart) before loading up–that will tell you how much weight in parts/tools you can put into the crate.