Narrative:

After pushing from gate, ground contacted us with taxi instructions to runway 9L, via taxiway B, taxiway A6, taxiway J to runway 9L. We entered taxiway B at taxiway A4. When we made the left turn onto taxiway B, we saw an aircraft approaching from the opposite direction. We stopped and asked ground for clarification. Apparently the controller had wanted us to use taxiway east to join taxiway B. We were issued new taxi instructions and proceeded to runway 9L without incident. Because ground frequency in ord is so busy it is often difficult to read back taxi instructions. In retrospect, we should have read back the clearance to insure compliance. This would have eliminated any misunderstanding. Perhaps use of coded taxi rtes could also eliminate confusion. The first officer is aware of this report I am filing. Again, I believe one of the major issues here is how to effectively communicate when ATC is so congested. Although it takes radio time, I will be reading back all taxi clearance in full.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY INCURSION WHEN B737 FLT CREW DOESN'T FOLLOW THE GND CTLR'S CLRNC PRECISELY AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHING FROM GATE, GND CONTACTED US WITH TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 9L, VIA TXWY B, TXWY A6, TXWY J TO RWY 9L. WE ENTERED TXWY B AT TXWY A4. WHEN WE MADE THE L TURN ONTO TXWY B, WE SAW AN ACFT APCHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE STOPPED AND ASKED GND FOR CLARIFICATION. APPARENTLY THE CTLR HAD WANTED US TO USE TXWY E TO JOIN TXWY B. WE WERE ISSUED NEW TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEEDED TO RWY 9L WITHOUT INCIDENT. BECAUSE GND FREQ IN ORD IS SO BUSY IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO READ BACK TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE READ BACK THE CLRNC TO INSURE COMPLIANCE. THIS WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. PERHAPS USE OF CODED TAXI RTES COULD ALSO ELIMINATE CONFUSION. THE FO IS AWARE OF THIS RPT I AM FILING. AGAIN, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES HERE IS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WHEN ATC IS SO CONGESTED. ALTHOUGH IT TAKES RADIO TIME, I WILL BE READING BACK ALL TAXI CLRNC IN FULL.

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.