Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure; Chart Or Publication
DFW Ground cleared us to taxi to Runway 17R via the standard taxi route. The FO read back the clearance and since we didn't have that page pulled up on our iPads; we did not start our taxi until the FO pulled up the page and we both verified the taxi route. All told; this took us about 30 to 45 seconds for the FO to search for the correct page on his iPad and verify the correct taxi route before we started the taxi. During this time of having this process completed; I saw a Regional Jet taxiing eastbound on the bridge towards our direction and I voiced my concern about having a taxiing conflict with the oncoming aircraft. Checking my right one more time before I started to taxi I released the brakes and started taxiing while focusing on the aircraft towards my left that was now approaching the intersection. From releasing the brakes; adding power and our airplane finally moving; it took about 5-10 seconds. Moving no more than 20 feet the FO yelled to stop. I immediately stopped the aircraft and looking to my right I saw [another aircraft] that was quickly approaching us that was westbound on the taxiway. The FO notified ground that we stopped our taxi due to the [other aircraft] that was crossing in front of us. Ground Control informed us that since he didn't see us taxiing; he cleared the [other aircraft] to continue his taxi. To paraphrase the FO's reply; he said that it took us some time to locate the page with the taxi instructions before we were to start our taxi. At no time did Ground Control revise our clearance to give way to the oncoming traffic prior to taxiing; nor did we ever hear a previous clearance for the [other aircraft] to initially give way to us when we were cleared to taxi. This was probably due to the fact that the [other aircraft] was so far away when he cleared us to taxi that Ground Control didn't anticipate seeing a conflict. Bravo Zulu to the FO for seeing a potential ground collision and being aggressive in having me stop the aircraft.While we did the right thing of ensuring we completely understood the taxi clearance by having the right page up before starting our taxi; I should have ensured that prior to gate departure that we had the standard taxi routes readily available. Also; I should have been more vigilant of keeping an active scan prior to and during taxiing (head on a swivel). While I didn't initially see the [other aircraft] on my right; I shouldn't have fixated on the other aircraft; or at least asked Ground Control about who; between us; were to give way to the other. Crew communication worked as planned with having the FO being vocal about a potential conflict.Ground Control noting our taxiing delay should have inquired us about his clearance for us to taxi. As a minimum he should have revised our taxi clearance for us to hold for the [other aircraft].In my experience; [DFW] Ground Control more often than not typically gives a full route taxi instruction from the terminal to the runway. To the point that using the standard taxi routes is the exception and not the norm. Maybe complacency on our part; but when given these standard taxi routes; we typically have to search our iPads (which isn't always the easiest to navigate) for the correct page (there are 3 of them) and verify the correct taxi route. Finding the correct page and verifying the route can take some time before starting our taxi. A simple recommendation is either to use the standard taxi routes all the time so flight crews get in the practice of using them or don't use them at all. If they are only to be used during increased ground operations; then state so on the departure ATIS so crews will be well prepared.
Taxing out at DFW we were given the clearance taxi to Runway 17R full length. We then looked up 17R full length in our Jeppesen charts and proceed to taxi as per its instructions. The Captain upon taxing looked to his left and saw a Regional Jet not holding short and coming down the taxiway. He proceeded slowly so as to pass behind the Regional Jet when I looked up and saw [another aircraft] from our right and not holding short for us. We came much too close to colliding with the [other aircraft]. We asked ATC if they wanted us to hold short for these two aircraft and ATC stated that we had taken too long to taxi and should have been out of those two airplanes way.The rest of the flight was uneventful yet the captain and I were both shaken and bothered by the near collision on the taxi out. Apparently it took us too long to taxi as per ATC instructions. I did not feel we took too long at all given the expectations of looking up and following the standard taxi instructions.When given the instructions to taxi to 17R we went to our Jeppesen charts page 60-9 and found [our location] on the map. We then had to scroll to find the DFW departure taxi routes. Of which there are 3 pages. 60-7c-4; 60-7c-3; and 60-7c-2. I was able to eliminate that it was not 60-7c-4 as we were not north flow. I then looked up 60-7c-3 and read through and saw that Runway 17R was not on that page. I then went back to the main menu; which starts from the top when you leave one page and begin to scroll for another and I then went and had to scroll down again to find page 60-7c-2 and found toward the middle bottom of the page the taxi instructions for RWY 17R Full length which are Y; K; EG. I wrote these down on my note pad and then proceeded to load page 60-9 again then proceeded to scroll in again found the route and informed the captain of the route we should take. At that point we proceeded to taxi and saw the conflicting traffic not holding short and asked ATC if we were to hold short for said traffic.I think ATC uses standard taxi routes when they and or the airport is busy. However using such standard taxi ROUTES takes time for the aircrew to go from the 60-9 page (airport diagram) then to scroll and look up on another page and write downtime correct routing and then go back and confirm on another page the correct routing to take. This takes time to do correctly and safely. Yet ATC has apparently given us only a set time to do all this and begin taxing.
After some delay in interpreting a 'Standard Taxi Route' clearance at DFW; the crew began to taxi; but had to made a sudden stop for conflicting traffic.