Narrative:

After landing on runway 32 and clearing at taxiway east, we were instructed by ground control to turn right and enter the main ramp at taxiway west. As we were turning north on taxiway west we were switched to ramp control, who then instructed us to taxi to the gate via taxiway ys. It should be noted that this was my first time ever at pit, and it was only my first officer's second time there, so we both had our airport diagrams out and were tracking ourselves from map to real world. At this point we were entering the main ramp at taxiway west. To our left front were 2 entrances to the commuter ramp, labeled Y1 and Y2. Since I saw no taxiway on the airport diagram labeled taxiway ys, I assumed that since Y2 was south of Y1, that taxiway ys was some local shorthand term for Y2. I proceeded to gate via Y2 and shut down. After passenger deplaning, I was informed by the gate agent that I must call ramp control on the telephone. The controller told me that I had disregarded his instruction and 'cut out' a taxiing B737 on the main ramp (neither I nor my first officer saw any B737). I informed him that I was unfamiliar with his non-standard term taxiway ys since I had never been to this airport before. They had wanted me to enter the ramp via taxiway Y on the south side of the ramp (this would have required me to do a 180 degree turn on taxiway west, and did not seem logical). Lessons learned: I should not have assumed that taxiway ys was Y2, they should not use non-standard terminology.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXI INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 32 AND CLRING AT TXWY E, WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY GND CTL TO TURN R AND ENTER THE MAIN RAMP AT TXWY W. AS WE WERE TURNING N ON TXWY W WE WERE SWITCHED TO RAMP CTL, WHO THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO THE GATE VIA TXWY YS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME EVER AT PIT, AND IT WAS ONLY MY FO'S SECOND TIME THERE, SO WE BOTH HAD OUR ARPT DIAGRAMS OUT AND WERE TRACKING OURSELVES FROM MAP TO REAL WORLD. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ENTERING THE MAIN RAMP AT TXWY W. TO OUR L FRONT WERE 2 ENTRANCES TO THE COMMUTER RAMP, LABELED Y1 AND Y2. SINCE I SAW NO TXWY ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM LABELED TXWY YS, I ASSUMED THAT SINCE Y2 WAS S OF Y1, THAT TXWY YS WAS SOME LCL SHORTHAND TERM FOR Y2. I PROCEEDED TO GATE VIA Y2 AND SHUT DOWN. AFTER PAX DEPLANING, I WAS INFORMED BY THE GATE AGENT THAT I MUST CALL RAMP CTL ON THE TELEPHONE. THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT I HAD DISREGARDED HIS INSTRUCTION AND 'CUT OUT' A TAXIING B737 ON THE MAIN RAMP (NEITHER I NOR MY FO SAW ANY B737). I INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH HIS NON-STANDARD TERM TXWY YS SINCE I HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS ARPT BEFORE. THEY HAD WANTED ME TO ENTER THE RAMP VIA TXWY Y ON THE S SIDE OF THE RAMP (THIS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ME TO DO A 180 DEG TURN ON TXWY W, AND DID NOT SEEM LOGICAL). LESSONS LEARNED: I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THAT TXWY YS WAS Y2, THEY SHOULD NOT USE NON-STANDARD TERMINOLOGY.

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.