Narrative:

I was assigned the local control-west position from XX05Z till XX24Z. When I assumed the position there were approximately 4 aircraft to depart runway 36L. After the last aircraft departed, ground control east coordinated if he could get a vehicle on runway 36L. I approved. The active runways were changed from runway 36L&right to runway 18R&left and 23. Air carrier X was the first departure on runway 18R and was cleared for takeoff. Air carrier X advised that there was a vehicle on the runway and that he was aborting his takeoff. Air carrier X exited the runway at E-7 and advised that he would like to situation on E7 and check his brake chart. Air carrier X advised that he needed a 52 minute delay for the brakes to cool and requested to pull on to the main terminal ramp south of E-10 to wait, which I approved. Contributing factors I believe was that it took the vehicle on the runway 5 minutes to go approximately 2500' (too long). After scanning the runway prior to clearing air carrier X for takeoff, I did not see the vehicle. The rotating beacon on the vehicle was not on (blue). The confusion of changing runways and the lapse of time caused me to forget the vehicle. I believe that any vehicle that is to impact runway should have a bright strobe light on it, not just a rotating light.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ABORTED TKOF DUE TO A VEHICLE ON THE RWY AND ENCOUNTERED A 52 MINUTE DELAY TO ALLOW BRAKES TO COOL.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED THE LC-W POSITION FROM XX05Z TILL XX24Z. WHEN I ASSUMED THE POSITION THERE WERE APPROX 4 ACFT TO DEPART RWY 36L. AFTER THE LAST ACFT DEPARTED, GND CTL E COORDINATED IF HE COULD GET A VEHICLE ON RWY 36L. I APPROVED. THE ACTIVE RWYS WERE CHANGED FROM RWY 36L&R TO RWY 18R&L AND 23. ACR X WAS THE FIRST DEP ON RWY 18R AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. ACR X ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A VEHICLE ON THE RWY AND THAT HE WAS ABORTING HIS TKOF. ACR X EXITED THE RWY AT E-7 AND ADVISED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SIT ON E7 AND CHECK HIS BRAKE CHART. ACR X ADVISED THAT HE NEEDED A 52 MINUTE DELAY FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL AND REQUESTED TO PULL ON TO THE MAIN TERMINAL RAMP S OF E-10 TO WAIT, WHICH I APPROVED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS I BELIEVE WAS THAT IT TOOK THE VEHICLE ON THE RWY 5 MINUTES TO GO APPROX 2500' (TOO LONG). AFTER SCANNING THE RWY PRIOR TO CLEARING ACR X FOR TKOF, I DID NOT SEE THE VEHICLE. THE ROTATING BEACON ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON (BLUE). THE CONFUSION OF CHANGING RWYS AND THE LAPSE OF TIME CAUSED ME TO FORGET THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT ANY VEHICLE THAT IS TO IMPACT RWY SHOULD HAVE A BRIGHT STROBE LIGHT ON IT, NOT JUST A ROTATING LIGHT.

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