Narrative:

Caldwell (essex county) airport has approximately 20 vehicles with radios that use movement areas. Only a few are recognizable by their call sign, ie: macdan tug, C and west golf cart. The airport operator has about five vehicles that call themselves 'airport operations.' when more than one is in use, it is confusing. You may be looking at one vehicle and give him a clearance and another vehicle takes the clearance. We think all vehicles should be numbered. The airport operator has been asked to comply but he refuses. Supplemental information from acn 450181: we've had the wrong vehicle cross the runway. Example: two vehicles, both called airport operations, holding short of runway 22 at taxiway B and taxiway north. We say 'airport operations at taxiway B cross runway 22.' both airport operations vehicles cross. This could become a serious problem that has a simple solution. We only have 3 vehicles. Name them airport 1, 2 and 3. We would appreciate any help you could give us to help ensure safety at our airport. Callback conversation with reporter acn 450396 revealed the following information: reporter stated that numerous attempts have been made by the FAA to persuade the airport manager to identify their vehicles that operate on or near the runways with a number system. Reporter said most of the controllers at the facility strongly believe the system in use now by the airport manager jeopardizes safety and security at the airport. Occasionally, language has been a problem understanding the vehicle drivers using the ground frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLRS AT CDW ARPT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL REQUESTING THE ARPT MANAGER TO USE NUMBERS WHEN OPERATING ON THE ARPT AIRSIDE VICE OPS, MAINT, ETC.

Narrative: CALDWELL (ESSEX COUNTY) ARPT HAS APPROX 20 VEHICLES WITH RADIOS THAT USE MOVEMENT AREAS. ONLY A FEW ARE RECOGNIZABLE BY THEIR CALL SIGN, IE: MACDAN TUG, C AND W GOLF CART. THE ARPT OPERATOR HAS ABOUT FIVE VEHICLES THAT CALL THEMSELVES 'ARPT OPS.' WHEN MORE THAN ONE IS IN USE, IT IS CONFUSING. YOU MAY BE LOOKING AT ONE VEHICLE AND GIVE HIM A CLRNC AND ANOTHER VEHICLE TAKES THE CLRNC. WE THINK ALL VEHICLES SHOULD BE NUMBERED. THE ARPT OPERATOR HAS BEEN ASKED TO COMPLY BUT HE REFUSES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 450181: WE'VE HAD THE WRONG VEHICLE CROSS THE RWY. EXAMPLE: TWO VEHICLES, BOTH CALLED ARPT OPS, HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 22 AT TXWY B AND TXWY N. WE SAY 'ARPT OPS AT TXWY B CROSS RWY 22.' BOTH ARPT OPS VEHICLES CROSS. THIS COULD BECOME A SERIOUS PROB THAT HAS A SIMPLE SOLUTION. WE ONLY HAVE 3 VEHICLES. NAME THEM ARPT 1, 2 AND 3. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE US TO HELP ENSURE SAFETY AT OUR ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 450396 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE FAA TO PERSUADE THE ARPT MANAGER TO IDENTIFY THEIR VEHICLES THAT OPERATE ON OR NEAR THE RWYS WITH A NUMBER SYS. RPTR SAID MOST OF THE CTLRS AT THE FACILITY STRONGLY BELIEVE THE SYS IN USE NOW BY THE ARPT MANAGER JEOPARDIZES SAFETY AND SECURITY AT THE ARPT. OCCASIONALLY, LANGUAGE HAS BEEN A PROB UNDERSTANDING THE VEHICLE DRIVERS USING THE GROUND FREQ.

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.