B737-400 flight crew has a conflict with a vehicle during taxi into gate.

Attributes
ACN	718926
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	718926
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While passing a gate in seattle en route to another gate a tug driver pulling 2 bag carts pulled out of the gate at high rate of speed. He never looked and proceeded to cut our aircraft off passing about 30 ft in front of us. The captain was taxiing about 5 mph and easily applied the brakes to slow down even more. As we began to continue to the gate a second tug also at a high rate of speed pulled out from the gate. Initially; this tug driver didn't look either; but as he approached from the left he saw us and made eye contact. Our jet was moving. He then decided to race us and cut us off forcing us to stop. He passed less than 15 ft in front of us. This event was reported to ramp tower with tug numbers and operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW HAS A CONFLICT WITH A VEHICLE DURING TAXI INTO GATE.

Narrative: WHILE PASSING A GATE IN SEATTLE ENRTE TO ANOTHER GATE A TUG DRIVER PULLING 2 BAG CARTS PULLED OUT OF THE GATE AT HIGH RATE OF SPD. HE NEVER LOOKED AND PROCEEDED TO CUT OUR ACFT OFF PASSING ABOUT 30 FT IN FRONT OF US. THE CAPT WAS TAXIING ABOUT 5 MPH AND EASILY APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN EVEN MORE. AS WE BEGAN TO CONTINUE TO THE GATE A SECOND TUG ALSO AT A HIGH RATE OF SPD PULLED OUT FROM THE GATE. INITIALLY; THIS TUG DRIVER DIDN'T LOOK EITHER; BUT AS HE APCHED FROM THE L HE SAW US AND MADE EYE CONTACT. OUR JET WAS MOVING. HE THEN DECIDED TO RACE US AND CUT US OFF FORCING US TO STOP. HE PASSED LESS THAN 15 FT IN FRONT OF US. THIS EVENT WAS RPTED TO RAMP TWR WITH TUG NUMBERS AND OPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.