Narrative:

Recently the FAA mandated that all aircraft and vehicles be issued detailed taxi instructions at all times; everywhere on the airfield. This has led to mass confusion and numerous mistakes by pilots and has caused a huge increase in workload for controllers who often must work the ground and local position combined due to a lack of manpower or overtime. Even when the position are split is has still caused the workload to increase 100%. This is not safe. This rule change has caused the controller to be preoccupied by slow moving ground traffic when his attention should really be focused on the active runways when it's busy. The intention was good; but like most new rules the FAA has mandated this actually leads to much more dangerous conditions due to lost and confused pilots and a tremendous increase in frequency congestion. The old rules were fine; controllers used their professional judgement and issued detailed instructions when traffic or other special situations warranted or an unfamiliar pilot simply asked for a little more help getting to his destination. It's ridiculous that I have to give progressive taxi instructions to a pilot who has been based at the airport for over 20 yrs! This rule needs to be changed immediately!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW FAA TAXIING PROCS THAT ALLEGEDLY ADDS TO CTLR WORKLOAD AND USER CONFUSION.

Narrative: RECENTLY THE FAA MANDATED THAT ALL ACFT AND VEHICLES BE ISSUED DETAILED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AT ALL TIMES; EVERYWHERE ON THE AIRFIELD. THIS HAS LED TO MASS CONFUSION AND NUMEROUS MISTAKES BY PLTS AND HAS CAUSED A HUGE INCREASE IN WORKLOAD FOR CTLRS WHO OFTEN MUST WORK THE GND AND LCL POS COMBINED DUE TO A LACK OF MANPOWER OR OVERTIME. EVEN WHEN THE POS ARE SPLIT IS HAS STILL CAUSED THE WORKLOAD TO INCREASE 100%. THIS IS NOT SAFE. THIS RULE CHANGE HAS CAUSED THE CTLR TO BE PREOCCUPIED BY SLOW MOVING GND TFC WHEN HIS ATTN SHOULD REALLY BE FOCUSED ON THE ACTIVE RWYS WHEN IT'S BUSY. THE INTENTION WAS GOOD; BUT LIKE MOST NEW RULES THE FAA HAS MANDATED THIS ACTUALLY LEADS TO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS DUE TO LOST AND CONFUSED PLTS AND A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN FREQ CONGESTION. THE OLD RULES WERE FINE; CTLRS USED THEIR PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT AND ISSUED DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS WHEN TFC OR OTHER SPECIAL SITUATIONS WARRANTED OR AN UNFAMILIAR PLT SIMPLY ASKED FOR A LITTLE MORE HELP GETTING TO HIS DEST. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE TO GIVE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO A PLT WHO HAS BEEN BASED AT THE ARPT FOR OVER 20 YRS! THIS RULE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.