B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Procedure; Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
During the descent into IAH; ATC told us to 'Descend via the DRLLR3.' We queried the controller to specify a landing runway since the lowest altitude on the STAR is dependent upon the specific runway. The controller replied along the lines of 'You guys are always asking that but I don't assign the runway; you'll get that on the next frequency.' We decided to set 8;000 for DOMNO since that is the place where the arrival diverges; however; by the book that is probably not correct. At least two more airplanes asked the same question of the controller prior to us being handed off to the next controller. Then after being assigned 26L and approaching ZOEEE; the controller switched our runway to 27 but did not assign us a heading/etc even though a 27 arrival no longer had us on that routing. Being fairly close to ZOEEE at the time; we decided to use heading select to approximate a track as is assigned for the 26L transition.
When the B737 flight crew; cleared to 'descend via' the DRLLR RNAV STAR to IAH; requested their planned landing runway so as to properly program the FAA required 'bottom' altitude in the arrival ATC's response was that assigning a landing runway was not his responsibility; the next controller would make the assignment and advising he was weary of having to explain that to flight crews.