Narrative:

I was instructed to move under tow aircraft X from november to hangar 3S. A super tug was connected to aircraft X to move the aircraft. It was not a taxi. When holding short of victor on alpha; I was instructed by ATC ground 121.90 to go left uniform hold short runway 13L. The tug has a slow top speed. On the way to uniform; ATC instructs aircraft X to cross runway 13L; 'aircraft X without delay cross runway 13L traffic 4 miles final.' I was on uniform approaching uniform-alpha when the directions were said. I took this as a new set of instructions and proceeded to the next available taxiway to cross runway 13L. We moved the aircraft across uniform-alpha then left charlie-bravo to charlie. ATC said the whole 'taxi' was unacceptable and to call the ATC tower. I called the tower and then explained the situation. About 3 hours later the port authority airport spoke to me and issued me a bor for a runway incursion and pulled my port identification. The ATC controller needs to specify what taxiway to cross the runway. When ATC called and advised to cross runway 13L without delay; it sounded like a whole new set of instructions and the ATC assumed I was already at uniform. This was not the case and I was nowhere near uniform. The aircraft was under tow with a slow tug and I would've never made it to uniform and then cross 13L with traffic 4 miles final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JFK tow driver describes a situation where he is using a slow tug to move an aircraft across a runway. JFK Controller tells tug driver a new instruction; driver crosses runway and then later is issued a 'ticket' and his ID is pulled.

Narrative: I was instructed to move under tow Aircraft X from November to Hangar 3S. A super tug was connected to Aircraft X to move the aircraft. It was not a taxi. When holding short of Victor on Alpha; I was instructed by ATC Ground 121.90 to go left Uniform hold short Runway 13L. The tug has a slow top speed. On the way to Uniform; ATC instructs Aircraft X to Cross Runway 13L; 'Aircraft X without delay cross Runway 13L traffic 4 miles final.' I was on Uniform approaching Uniform-Alpha when the directions were said. I took this as a new set of instructions and proceeded to the next available taxiway to cross Runway 13L. We moved the aircraft across Uniform-Alpha then Left Charlie-Bravo to Charlie. ATC said the whole 'taxi' was unacceptable and to call the ATC Tower. I called the Tower and then explained the situation. About 3 hours later the Port Authority Airport spoke to me and issued me a BOR for a runway incursion and pulled my Port ID. The ATC Controller needs to specify what taxiway to cross the runway. When ATC called and advised to cross Runway 13L without delay; it sounded like a whole new set of instructions and the ATC assumed I was already at Uniform. This was not the case and I was nowhere near Uniform. The aircraft was under tow with a slow tug and I would've never made it to Uniform and then cross 13L with traffic 4 miles final.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.