VRC World Championship Robot Shipping Information

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > REC Foundation Newsletter
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Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:30:56 -0500
Subject: VRC World Championship Robot Shipping Information

Dear VEX Robotics Team,

This email contains specific information on robot shipping for the 2009 VRC World Championship in Dallas.

Some teams have inquired about options for getting their robots to the VRC World Championship. Most teams seem to use one of three methods to get their robots to a competition, which we will list here:

. Many teams bring the robot, along with any spare parts and tools, with them by either car or airplane. If packed within the size and weight limits of the particular airlines, most teams tell us they are able to either carry on the robot or can check it on the plane as luggage.

. Some teams who are traveling into an event are able to ship the robots directly the hotel they will be staying at, and then pick their shipment up when they arrive and check in. If considering this option, we recommend you check with your hotel to ensure this is an option and to verify the shipping details and address.

. Some teams use a 3rd party Drayage service to deliver the robot directly to the competition. In the case of the VRC World Championship, we have secured a discounted rate from Fun Factory Events and posted this information on the event web page a couple of weeks ago. The Dallas Convention Center can not accept shipments direct from teams, but FFE will accept shipment of your robot, deliver your packages to the convention center for pick up at check in and will also store it for you following the event at their facility for your shipper to pick up from there. They are offering all 2009 VRC World Championship teams a special discounted rate of $20 per box under 50lbs (this is in addition to whatever rates you need to pay for shipping). If you are interested in this option, you can find the details and information in a pdf document on the VRC World Championship web page < http://robotevents.com/event.php?eid=1201> under the event documents secti! on.

We hope the above information is helpful. Obviously, with whatever method you use to transport your robot, it’s important to pack the robot safely and securely to ensure it does not get damaged in transit.

You will receive additional emails over the next couple of days with the following information: party information, participant waiver forms, team lists, division assignments and more.

See you in Dallas,

Vex Robotics World Championship Organizing Committee

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Hey ppls, make sure you put a lot of packing stuff around your bot if you ship it (and if you check it on the plane, though make sure it doesnt look like a bomb) b/c our team had some problems in transit. We broke a HS gear and and axle got bent and effectively neutralized the potentiometer on the lifting mechanism (Note: this was an 8 hour flight + a 3 hour layover + another 2 hour flight) Traveling to Dallas is kinda hard from Hawaii… Especially when the flight goes to Houston first (no clue why, have they seen a map?!).
We only used card board boxes and Styrofoam and a bunch of Fragile stickers (I think the airplane people ignored those b/c the boxes were really beat up), but by far the best packing we had was from our first year. We used one of those AV boxes with foam inside and metal outside, they are used to carry some of our school’s stage band’s instruments and speakers and stuff. Extremely awesome, but they weigh like 25 pounds, and can only fit things that are about 18"x18"x12".

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