Narrative:

06/fri/04, we pushed air carrier X aircraft from gate. After starting the engines and completing the checklist, ramp control cleared us to taxi to spot xx. The first officer cleared the right side and I began to move the aircraft fwd for a left turn. A van and a fuel truck passed (right to left) within 10 ft, in front of the aircraft at a high rate of speed. I slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision with the fuel truck. Fortunately, the flight attendant was not injured because of the sudden stop. This is a recurring scenario at phl on the ramp. Numerous times on a daily basis passenger, crew, and aircraft are in harm's way because of motor vehicles failing to yield to moving aircraft. Ironically, a ramp supervisor recently told me two aircraft were hit by fuel trucks during the past few months. I fear if this dangerous disregard for safety is not corrected immediately, a serious accident will occur. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this type of event happens all the time at phl. In the reporter's opinion, it is much worse at phl than any other airport that he has seen. These vehicles are operated by private vendors and they regularly exceed 35-40 mph with aircraft taxiing in close proximity. Even at night with the taxi lights on, the vehicles cross right in front of aircraft while taxiing. The reporter recommends that there be a meeting between the airport operations, company and fuelers to discuss the potential dangers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLT CREW HAS TO STOP ABRUPTLY WHILE TAXIING TO AVOID SOME VEHICLES.

Narrative: 06/FRI/04, WE PUSHED ACR X ACFT FROM GATE. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINES AND COMPLETING THE CHKLIST, RAMP CTL CLRED US TO TAXI TO SPOT XX. THE FO CLRED THE R SIDE AND I BEGAN TO MOVE THE ACFT FWD FOR A L TURN. A VAN AND A FUEL TRUCK PASSED (R TO L) WITHIN 10 FT, IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE FUEL TRUCK. FORTUNATELY, THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS NOT INJURED BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN STOP. THIS IS A RECURRING SCENARIO AT PHL ON THE RAMP. NUMEROUS TIMES ON A DAILY BASIS PAX, CREW, AND ACFT ARE IN HARM'S WAY BECAUSE OF MOTOR VEHICLES FAILING TO YIELD TO MOVING ACFT. IRONICALLY, A RAMP SUPVR RECENTLY TOLD ME TWO ACFT WERE HIT BY FUEL TRUCKS DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I FEAR IF THIS DANGEROUS DISREGARD FOR SAFETY IS NOT CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF EVENT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AT PHL. IN THE RPTR'S OPINION, IT IS MUCH WORSE AT PHL THAN ANY OTHER ARPT THAT HE HAS SEEN. THESE VEHICLES ARE OPERATED BY PRIVATE VENDORS AND THEY REGULARLY EXCEED 35-40 MPH WITH ACFT TAXIING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. EVEN AT NIGHT WITH THE TAXI LIGHTS ON, THE VEHICLES CROSS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ACFT WHILE TAXIING. THE RPTR RECOMMENDS THAT THERE BE A MEETING BETWEEN THE ARPT OPS, COMPANY AND FUELERS TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL DANGERS.

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.