Tower Controller at MGM reported there are no markings delineating the ramp non-movement area from taxiway E1 which could result in vehicles entering an active taxiway without clearance from the Tower.
Synopsis
Tower Controller at MGM reported there are no markings delineating the ramp non-movement area from taxiway E1 which could result in vehicles entering an active taxiway without clearance from the Tower.
Narrative
I was working local and CIC (Controller In Charge) with a developmental working ground. Traffic was very light. I noticed an operations vehicle was sitting at the hold bars of runway 21 and E1 and had been sitting there for some time. I asked ground if she was talking to them and she said no. A few minutes later the vehicle called ground on the ground frequency and requested to do a FOD check. Ground gave them permission to move onto runway 3/21 which was ground's control; as well as permission to check Alpha east of runway 3/21.When the operations vehicle got to the hold point of runway 28 and A1 ground switched them to me on local so they could do a runway inspection per our SOP. It was at this point I advised the operations vehicle they should not drive up to the hold bar of runway 21 and E1 without speaking to ground as I believe it poses a safety issue. Adjacent to E1 is both the self-serve fuel depot as well as aircraft hangars. It is possible for a transient aircraft; or an aircraft based on field to want to land on runway 3 and exit onto E1 to get fuel. If an operations vehicle is sitting there without talking to us this could create a safety issue.When I got on break I told my supervisor about this and we started looking into it. According to the Google Maps satellite view there are no movement area hold markings delineating the end of a non-movement area and the beginning of a movement area for E1. If this is accurate then this seems incredibly unsafe to allow a non-movement area to go up to a runway entrance/ exit.E1 needs to become a movement area and movement area hold bars need to be painted to protect E1 and runway 21 from random aircraft/ vehicles from entering it without speaking to ATCT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.