Air Traffic Controller reported a vehicle inspecting the runway did not yield to an aircraft requiring it to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the vehicle.

Date: 2025-02 · Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing · Phase: taxi

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|conflict-ground-conflict|critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

Air Traffic Controller reported a vehicle inspecting the runway did not yield to an aircraft requiring it to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the vehicle.

Narrative

Airport Operations requested to inspect RWY 7L. I put them on the runway and shortly after an aircraft requested to reposition which required a runway crossing. I crossed the aircraft and instructed Operations to pass behind the traffic at Taxiway Echo. The driver did not respond so I reiterated the instruction multiple times. He finally responded with 'okay' but didn't appear to be slowing to I urgently reached out and definitively told the driver to STOP. The driver did not stop and cut off the Aircraft just in front of their nose. The aircraft appeared to slow down and give way to the vehicle.I have experienced a lot of vehicles; both in movement and non movement areas; cut off aircraft recently. I have had pilots call me on Ground to inform me of just having been cut off by a truck; tug; baggage cart; etc. This airport also consistently has trouble with vehicles not operating correctly in regards to closed runways. This driver; for instance; proceeded on a runway that they thought to be closed; without calling Tower; when the runway hadn't even been coordinated as closed from Airport Ops.This airport also has a very high frequency of runway inspections and runway convenience crossings. Often; 3 separate entities; Electricians; Ops; and Maintenance; will inspect the same runway at different times over the course of an hour. Every vehicle operating on a runway introduces risk and the airport should take opportunities to consolidate work to mitigate that risk.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.