Narrative:

Upon arrival dtw the following taxi instructions were issued by tower and 2 different ATC ground frequencys: the first instructions were issued during landing roll on runway 21L. 1. Tower: 'air carrier flight number, turn right at high speed and hold short of center runway on fox,' (after approximately 3 departures on center runway), 2. 'Cross 21C hold short of uniform on fox and contact ground 119.45,' (after crossing and contacting ground). 3. 'Air carrier flight number say gate and if open.' (we informed controller gate number was open). 4. 'Air carrier flight number, hold short of wolf on uniform and monitor ground on 132.72.' (we complied with instructions and there was a long line-up of aircraft proceeding to gates on outer taxiway beyond wolf). 5. 'Air carrier flight number, follow medium large transport aircraft at 1 O'clock position on outer.' (there was no medium large transport aircraft at that position, however, there was at 11 O'clock so we inquired and were told to follow him). Past procedure has always been to taxi to gate via the closest intersection if no 'hold short' instructions have been given. After we were parked, ground asked our location. When we told ground we were at gate, the controller stated, 'you know, you're not allowed to do that.' then, frequency congestion continued and we never found out what we're not allowed to do. Evidently, some new local rule or procedure has been implemented that requires inbound aircraft to continue on outer taxiway to north end of field and then doubling back on inner to the gate. Not only were these instructions not issued to us in the numerous transmissions made by ATC, but there is no mention of this procedure in FAA or company NOTAMS. There is a mention of 'new unfamiliar ground procedures,' but no elaboration. This type of confusion occurs on a daily basis. Another disaster here is imminent, and a traffic light crossing system is desperately needed on runway 21C.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR LGT ACFT MISUNDERSTOOD TAXI CLRNC AFTER LNDG AND TAXIED TO GATE PARKING WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: UPON ARR DTW THE FOLLOWING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED BY TWR AND 2 DIFFERENT ATC GND FREQS: THE FIRST INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED DURING LNDG ROLL ON RWY 21L. 1. TWR: 'ACR FLT NUMBER, TURN R AT HIGH SPD AND HOLD SHORT OF CTR RWY ON FOX,' (AFTER APPROX 3 DEPS ON CTR RWY), 2. 'CROSS 21C HOLD SHORT OF UNIFORM ON FOX AND CONTACT GND 119.45,' (AFTER XING AND CONTACTING GND). 3. 'ACR FLT NUMBER SAY GATE AND IF OPEN.' (WE INFORMED CTLR GATE NUMBER WAS OPEN). 4. 'ACR FLT NUMBER, HOLD SHORT OF WOLF ON UNIFORM AND MONITOR GND ON 132.72.' (WE COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND THERE WAS A LONG LINE-UP OF ACFT PROCEEDING TO GATES ON OUTER TAXIWAY BEYOND WOLF). 5. 'ACR FLT NUMBER, FOLLOW MLG ACFT AT 1 O'CLOCK POS ON OUTER.' (THERE WAS NO MLG ACFT AT THAT POS, HOWEVER, THERE WAS AT 11 O'CLOCK SO WE INQUIRED AND WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW HIM). PAST PROC HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO TAXI TO GATE VIA THE CLOSEST INTXN IF NO 'HOLD SHORT' INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN. AFTER WE WERE PARKED, GND ASKED OUR LOCATION. WHEN WE TOLD GND WE WERE AT GATE, THE CTLR STATED, 'YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.' THEN, FREQ CONGESTION CONTINUED AND WE NEVER FOUND OUT WHAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO. EVIDENTLY, SOME NEW LCL RULE OR PROC HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED THAT REQUIRES INBOUND ACFT TO CONTINUE ON OUTER TAXIWAY TO N END OF FIELD AND THEN DOUBLING BACK ON INNER TO THE GATE. NOT ONLY WERE THESE INSTRUCTIONS NOT ISSUED TO US IN THE NUMEROUS TRANSMISSIONS MADE BY ATC, BUT THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS PROC IN FAA OR COMPANY NOTAMS. THERE IS A MENTION OF 'NEW UNFAMILIAR GND PROCS,' BUT NO ELABORATION. THIS TYPE OF CONFUSION OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS. ANOTHER DISASTER HERE IS IMMINENT, AND A TFC LIGHT XING SYS IS DESPERATELY NEEDED ON RWY 21C.

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.