MD80 FLT CREW IMPACTS A CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE WITH THE R WINGTIP DURING TAXI TO THE GATE AT PHX.

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I WAS THE FO WORKING FLT FROM ORD-PHX. AFTER LNDG AND TAXI TO OUR ASSIGNED GATE; WE STRUCK A PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIP WITH OUR R WINGTIP. THE DETAILS OF THIS PORTION OF THE FLT ARE AS FOLLOWS. I DID THE LNDG AND SLOWED THE ACFT TO TAXI SPD THEN THE CAPT TOOK OVER AFTER A POSITIVE AND CONFIRMED XFER OF CTL. WE CLRED RWY 25R ON E6 AND JOINED TXWY E EBOUND. AS WE CLRED THE RWY; PHX TWR TOLD US TO FOLLOW THE CITY VEHICLE UP AHEAD. WE BOTH SIGHTED THE CITY VEHICLE AWAITING US NEAR THE D7 TXWY AND TOLD TWR WE HAD HIM IN SIGHT. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI BEHIND THIS VEHICLE TOWARDS OUR GATE; EBOUND ON TXWY D. ALONG THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF TXWY D THERE WERE BARRICADES AROUND CONSTRUCTION. WE WERE AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE WE REVIEWED THE PHX DETAILED PAGE DURING OUR APCH BRIEFING PLUS THE CAPT HAD STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN TO PHX BEFORE AND SEEN THIS CONSTRUCTION. WE TAXIED AT A CAUTIOUS SPD BEING MINDFUL OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND BARRICADES. AS WE TAXIED AROUND THE SOUTHERN END OF S; THE CITY VEHICLE DRIVER STARTED GESTURING WITH HIS L HAND OUT HIS WINDOW POINTING L. WE INTERPED THIS AS HE WAS POINTING OUT OUR GATE. AS THE CAPT BEGAN OUR L TURN TOWARDS WE IMPACTED A PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIP. THE CAPT STOPPED THE ACFT AND WE RPTED THE INCIDENT TO PHX TWR (120.9). PHX TWR THEN CONTACTED THE CITY VEHICLE ON 120.9 AND THE CITY VEHICLE COMMENTED THAT WE WEREN'T FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTIONS. IF THE VEHICLE DRIVER HAD COMS ON VHF 120.9; WHY DID HE NOT ESTABLISH COMS WITH US? IF WE WEREN'T DOING AS HE DESIRED; WHY DID HE NOT MAKE A RADIO CALL ON PHX TWR FREQ? OR STOP HIS VEHICLE? WE HAD NO INDICATION FROM THIS CITY VEHICLE; ACTING IN A 'FOLLOW ME' MODE; THAT WE WEREN'T COMPLYING WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS. HE NEVER STOPPED OR SLOWED HIS VEHICLE WHILE WE WERE IN THE AREA OF THE BARRICADES AND CONSTRUCTION. HE DROVE ALONG OR VERY NEAR THE PAINTED TXWY CTRLINE AND THE CAPT TAXIED THE ACFT ALONG THE CTRLINE. AFTER COMS WITH PHX TWR; THE CAPT MADE A PA TO THE PAX INFORMING THEM OF THE SITUATION. PHX MAINT PERSONNEL CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. I COMMUNICATED WITH ONE OF THE MECHS VIA MY WINDOW AND ASKED HIM IF IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TAXI TO THE GATE. HE SAID YES; SO WE TAXIED TO OUR GATE AND DEPLANED THE PAX AND BEGAN THE POST-INCIDENT RPTING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 695008: THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT ON THE INTERPHONE AND ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE CAPT SAID HE BELIEVED THE ACFT HAD HIT SOMETHING. THE CAPT MADE A PA TO THE PAX STATING THAT THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE HIT SOME CONSTRUCTION EQUIP; FOR THEM TO REMAIN SEATED; THE ACFT WOULD BE INSPECTED AND WOULD TAXI TO THE GATE WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR ON THE RADIO TO RPT THE COLLISION AND ASKED FOR AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT BY THE ARPT VEHICLE.