Narrative:

We were taxiing for takeoff. The departure runway was 22R. We wanted 22L for weight. Ground told us to cross 22R at microphone turn left on papa and stay on frequency. We acknowledged and read back the clearance. As we turned onto microphone I cleared left and right and told captain 'cleared to cross' 1 in position. He acknowledged. As we came up to runway, I again said '1 in position'. The medium large transport Y in position switched on his lights and began takeoff roll. We held short of the runway so there was no evasive action required. I asked controller if we had in fact been cleared to cross and controller replied yes, and the tower apologizes. We were then cleared across 22R again. On takeoff the tower controller again apologized. There was a lot of pressure on ATC to get aircraft out due to WX delays. We were normally given a different taxi route to 22L than on this occasion. However, it was very fortunate that the microphone taxiway was so close to the departure end of the runway. If we had been further downfield we may have been on the runway as the other aircraft took off. This all took place directly in front of the tower. I think the stop-bar light system might have helped. I don't think ATC should clear an aircraft to taxi to and then cross an active runway. They should only clear you up to and hold short of an active runway. Also they should always check with tower before they give you the clearance to cross the runway. Also, at night, clearance to hold in position on the runway should be banned at night. There needs to be better coordination of ground operations especially at night. The potential for runway incursion is great.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXIING WDB CLRED TO CROSS ACTIVE RWY BY GND CTLR, SEES MLG START TKOF ROLL AND HOLDS CLR OF RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING FOR TKOF. THE DEP RWY WAS 22R. WE WANTED 22L FOR WT. GND TOLD US TO CROSS 22R AT MIKE TURN L ON PAPA AND STAY ON FREQ. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK THE CLRNC. AS WE TURNED ONTO MIKE I CLRED L AND R AND TOLD CAPT 'CLRED TO CROSS' 1 IN POS. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. AS WE CAME UP TO RWY, I AGAIN SAID '1 IN POS'. THE MLG Y IN POS SWITCHED ON HIS LIGHTS AND BEGAN TKOF ROLL. WE HELD SHORT OF THE RWY SO THERE WAS NO EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED. I ASKED CTLR IF WE HAD IN FACT BEEN CLRED TO CROSS AND CTLR REPLIED YES, AND THE TWR APOLOGIZES. WE WERE THEN CLRED ACROSS 22R AGAIN. ON TKOF THE TWR CTLR AGAIN APOLOGIZED. THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON ATC TO GET ACFT OUT DUE TO WX DELAYS. WE WERE NORMALLY GIVEN A DIFFERENT TAXI RTE TO 22L THAN ON THIS OCCASION. HOWEVER, IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE MIKE TAXIWAY WAS SO CLOSE TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY. IF WE HAD BEEN FURTHER DOWNFIELD WE MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE RWY AS THE OTHER ACFT TOOK OFF. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TWR. I THINK THE STOP-BAR LIGHT SYS MIGHT HAVE HELPED. I DON'T THINK ATC SHOULD CLR AN ACFT TO TAXI TO AND THEN CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY. THEY SHOULD ONLY CLR YOU UP TO AND HOLD SHORT OF AN ACTIVE RWY. ALSO THEY SHOULD ALWAYS CHK WITH TWR BEFORE THEY GIVE YOU THE CLRNC TO CROSS THE RWY. ALSO, AT NIGHT, CLRNC TO HOLD IN POS ON THE RWY SHOULD BE BANNED AT NIGHT. THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER COORD OF GND OPS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR RWY INCURSION IS GREAT.

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.