Air carrier pilot complains about not being issued an assigned altitude from ewr clearance delivery.

Attributes
ACN	208382
Time
Date	199204
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	208382
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Newark clearance delivery does not state an initial altitude when you get your clearance, just the SID. Although technically correct I feel this is an invitation for an altitude bust and possible midair collision. Newark is the only ATC location I have come across that doesn't restate the initial altitude in your clearance. With an unusually low initial altitude of 2500 ft for runway 4 left/right and 11, and a different and much more common initial altitude of 5000 ft for runway 22 left/right and 29, the potential for mistakes with runway changes and just plain old gosh I missed that is too high to omit stating the initial altitude in your clearance. When I questioned ATC on this they were borderline on being rude and very reluctant to state the altitude. A couple of weeks ago the altitude given when asked for verification was incorrect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT NOT BEING ISSUED AN ASSIGNED ALT FROM EWR CLRNC DELIVERY.

Narrative: NEWARK CLRNC DELIVERY DOES NOT STATE AN INITIAL ALT WHEN YOU GET YOUR CLRNC, JUST THE SID. ALTHOUGH TECHNICALLY CORRECT I FEEL THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR AN ALT BUST AND POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. NEWARK IS THE ONLY ATC LOCATION I HAVE COME ACROSS THAT DOESN'T RESTATE THE INITIAL ALT IN YOUR CLRNC. WITH AN UNUSUALLY LOW INITIAL ALT OF 2500 FT FOR RWY 4 L/R AND 11, AND A DIFFERENT AND MUCH MORE COMMON INITIAL ALT OF 5000 FT FOR RWY 22 L/R AND 29, THE POTENTIAL FOR MISTAKES WITH RWY CHANGES AND JUST PLAIN OLD GOSH I MISSED THAT IS TOO HIGH TO OMIT STATING THE INITIAL ALT IN YOUR CLRNC. WHEN I QUESTIONED ATC ON THIS THEY WERE BORDERLINE ON BEING RUDE AND VERY RELUCTANT TO STATE THE ALT. A COUPLE OF WKS AGO THE ALT GIVEN WHEN ASKED FOR VERIFICATION WAS INCORRECT.

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.