Medium Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 27500; Flight Crew Type 12000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Company Policy; Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Lots of construction operations were going on at the Airport. Multiple Taxiways were NOTAM'd out of service. Runways were closed. Approaches are out of service. In flight visibility is compromised due to haze; but still good. The Approach Controllers were pushing Visual Approaches so that they could run traffic closer together. We landed and were told to make the midfield turn off onto a taxiway. We did it. We were then instructed to cross the closed runway and call Ground on the wrong frequency for the runway we landed on.We called Ground no answer; second call no answer; contemplated calling the Tower about this; but Tower's high workload made me think twice about trying that. Then we heard ground reading a clearance to another aircraft. When he finished and said standby for read back; I tried to again call ground. No response. He then instructed the aircraft on another frequency to go ahead with the read back. Then he had to correct the mistakes. Then when he finished with that; and acknowledged the correct read back I called again. He admonished me about him having to work four frequencies; and to have a little patience; with attitude; did not go over well with me. I told him not my problem; just calling Ground as instructed. He gave us our taxi clearance and we taxied to the ramp with no further communication or interaction with Ground Control.The poor controller was actually overwhelmed with his workload. I don't know how he could possibly multi-task; working Ground and clearance safely at a busy place. Having to manage aircraft waiting to use the same taxiway to get in and out of the east side of the airport with only one taxiway to do so; in of itself demanding job. He then has to be inside; not looking out to track down clearances; read them and copy the replies; how could one individual be expected to supervise surface movements? His snapping at us was evidence of his frustration level.
A corporate pilot reported the Ground Controller was overworked and lashed out at the pilot for multiple radio calls.