MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 18500
Confusion; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
DFW Ground Control and my airline use coded standard taxi routes for outbound and inbound taxi operations at DFW airport. There are some serious safety issues with this that need to be addressed. 1. Not all the controllers us the standard routes. They are not used with other carriers at DFW and the controllers don't always give us a standard routes; some say 'cleared to 17C via Kilo; Echo; Gulf.' The next day the same route is: 'Cleared to 17C via the inner.' 2. The coded standard routes forces us to be heads down during taxi. This is a runway incursion waiting to happen; and for what? These clearances do absolutely nothing to help the pilots. Their sole benefit is take work away from the Ground Controller and allow them to pass the buck for compliance and legality on to the cockpit. In other words; these clearances shift work and stress from Ground Control and transfer it to the cockpit. I therefore assume the responsibility and do the work that the Ground Controller is getting paid to do. Controlling aircraft on the ground is their job; not mine! I am doing the Ground Controller's job at a time that I am juggling nine balls already. THIS IS UNSAFE ON SO MANY LEVELS AND SHOULD BE STOPPED IMMEDIATLEY. There is no real benefit to these asinine clearances. There is only increased risk to the safe operation of my aircraft. I have therefore refused these clearances since they were begun. I will not accept them.
Air Carrier departing DFW voiced concern regarding the 'Coded Taxi Routes' used for his company; noting inconsistency of use by ATC and cockpit workload as complicating factors.