Narrative:

Since the beginning of summer, air traffic, NWS, airport rescue, airways facility, visitors, employees, and anyone with business at these facilities must be 'shuttled' or escorted across an active runway. This is a level 4 airport and at times extremely busy. The shuttle van crosses the runway hundreds of times each and every day. Due to construction of new txwys and runways, ground control works more vehicles than airplanes during the day. We (air traffic controllers working ground control) have had many problems with some of the shuttle van drivers. 1 driver read back crossing after being instructed to 'hold short.' airport authority/authorized has not removed this van driver even after numerous complaints from controllers that he does not understand the rules. (He is an employee of theirs in the office and drives the van every wkday morning for about 2 hours.) airport authority/authorized also has hired people to drive this van that have never been around an airport, much less runways, txwys, and aircraft. Their training is extremely short and incomplete. I believe that if this situation must be continued that only airport rescue and fire fighters be allowed to drive the shuttle van. They have had a lot more training and experience, they know what to listen for, what to look for, and all of the rules that must be followed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this problem of runway xings by airport vehicles has been brought to the attention of tower management with no action. Reporter stated there are alternate rtes that can be used that would eliminate the need for the vehicle runway xings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VEHICLE XINGS OF ACTIVE RWY. POSSIBLE RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER, AIR TFC, NWS, ARPT RESCUE, AIRWAYS FACILITY, VISITORS, EMPLOYEES, AND ANYONE WITH BUSINESS AT THESE FACILITIES MUST BE 'SHUTTLED' OR ESCORTED ACROSS AN ACTIVE RWY. THIS IS A LEVEL 4 ARPT AND AT TIMES EXTREMELY BUSY. THE SHUTTLE VAN CROSSES THE RWY HUNDREDS OF TIMES EACH AND EVERY DAY. DUE TO CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TXWYS AND RWYS, GND CTL WORKS MORE VEHICLES THAN AIRPLANES DURING THE DAY. WE (AIR TFC CTLRS WORKING GND CTL) HAVE HAD MANY PROBS WITH SOME OF THE SHUTTLE VAN DRIVERS. 1 DRIVER READ BACK XING AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO 'HOLD SHORT.' ARPT AUTH HAS NOT REMOVED THIS VAN DRIVER EVEN AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM CTLRS THAT HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE RULES. (HE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THEIRS IN THE OFFICE AND DRIVES THE VAN EVERY WKDAY MORNING FOR ABOUT 2 HRS.) ARPT AUTH ALSO HAS HIRED PEOPLE TO DRIVE THIS VAN THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN AROUND AN ARPT, MUCH LESS RWYS, TXWYS, AND ACFT. THEIR TRAINING IS EXTREMELY SHORT AND INCOMPLETE. I BELIEVE THAT IF THIS SIT MUST BE CONTINUED THAT ONLY ARPT RESCUE AND FIRE FIGHTERS BE ALLOWED TO DRIVE THE SHUTTLE VAN. THEY HAVE HAD A LOT MORE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE, THEY KNOW WHAT TO LISTEN FOR, WHAT TO LOOK FOR, AND ALL OF THE RULES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS PROB OF RWY XINGS BY ARPT VEHICLES HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF TWR MGMNT WITH NO ACTION. RPTR STATED THERE ARE ALTERNATE RTES THAT CAN BE USED THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE VEHICLE RWY XINGS.

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.