Narrative:

The controllers at daytona beach tower contend with too many runway xings involving vehicles. Our management does not view these xings as a problem. The following narrative describes an incident that occurred while I was working the ground control position. An FBO maintenance van called ground control requesting to cross runway 16. After coordinating with the local controller, I cleared the van to 'cross runway 16 with delay.' the vehicle slowly started forward and did not pick up speed. As the vehicle approached the runway, it was clear it would not cross before traffic on final approach reached the runway. I reclred the vehicle to hold short. Simultaneously, the local controller sent the landing aircraft around. There are alternate rtes for ground vehicles to get from 1 point on the airport to another. However, as long as the controllers try to accommodate them, these vehicles will take the shortest route. Daytona beach airport is a busy airport primarily with student pilot training. The extra workload produced by vehicles crossing the runway causes problems in 3 areas. Frequency congestion increased. Coordination between ground control and local control increases. The potential for a runway incursion increases. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the aircraft was an small aircraft and the taxiway was about 3000 ft from runway end. Analyst informed reporter that FAA air traffic policy was to have all vehicles use other rtes unless absolutely necessary to complete mission or responding to an emergency. Reporter was advised to discuss this policy with facility management.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ISSUED GAR BECAUSE OF SLOW MOVING VEHICLE. SITUATION UNNECESSARY VEHICLE RWY XINGS.

Narrative: THE CTLRS AT DAYTONA BEACH TWR CONTEND WITH TOO MANY RWY XINGS INVOLVING VEHICLES. OUR MGMNT DOES NOT VIEW THESE XINGS AS A PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE DESCRIBES AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS WORKING THE GND CTL POS. AN FBO MAINT VAN CALLED GND CTL REQUESTING TO CROSS RWY 16. AFTER COORDINATING WITH THE LCL CTLR, I CLRED THE VAN TO 'CROSS RWY 16 WITH DELAY.' THE VEHICLE SLOWLY STARTED FORWARD AND DID NOT PICK UP SPD. AS THE VEHICLE APCHED THE RWY, IT WAS CLR IT WOULD NOT CROSS BEFORE TFC ON FINAL APCH REACHED THE RWY. I RECLRED THE VEHICLE TO HOLD SHORT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE LCL CTLR SENT THE LNDG ACFT AROUND. THERE ARE ALTERNATE RTES FOR GND VEHICLES TO GET FROM 1 POINT ON THE ARPT TO ANOTHER. HOWEVER, AS LONG AS THE CTLRS TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM, THESE VEHICLES WILL TAKE THE SHORTEST RTE. DAYTONA BEACH ARPT IS A BUSY ARPT PRIMARILY WITH STUDENT PLT TRAINING. THE EXTRA WORKLOAD PRODUCED BY VEHICLES XING THE RWY CAUSES PROBLEMS IN 3 AREAS. FREQ CONGESTION INCREASED. COORD BTWN GND CTL AND LCL CTL INCREASES. THE POTENTIAL FOR A RWY INCURSION INCREASES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS AN SMA AND THE TAXIWAY WAS ABOUT 3000 FT FROM RWY END. ANALYST INFORMED RPTR THAT FAA AIR TFC POLICY WAS TO HAVE ALL VEHICLES USE OTHER RTES UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE MISSION OR RESPONDING TO AN EMER. RPTR WAS ADVISED TO DISCUSS THIS POLICY WITH FACILITY MGMNT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.