Caravan 208B
Flight Crew Commercial
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport
After I had taxied out of the ramp; I joined the taxi line and contacted Ground Control for taxi instructions. The Controller advised me to standby; so I continued taxiing through the uncontrolled area of the ramp. After I had made a 90 degree left turn; the Ground Controller gave me my taxi instructions. As this was happening; I noticed a tug pulling up to the gate to the right of the taxi centerline. I continued my taxi while I was reading back the instructions from the Controller. While I was doing this; the tug pulled past the security gate; and I noticed the brake lights illuminated by reflection from the luggage cart it was towing. I was moving rather slowly at this point; since most of my forward momentum had been used in the 90 degree turn. Still; I slowed down and rode the brakes until I saw the brake light reflection; and released the brakes. While I was near the end of my readback of taxi instructions; the tug accelerated right in front of me; necessitating my emergency application of the brakes. I interrupted my readback; and attempted to turn my landing lights and strobes on; but was only able to get one landing light on before the tug crossed my path. When the aircraft stopped; the propeller was approximately on the vehicle roadway edge line. When I stopped the aircraft; the tug was approximately 3 feet away from the propeller of the aircraft. The driver looked directly at me/the aircraft and kept traveling from my right to left. I then re-verified my taxi instructions and completed the rest of the flight uneventfully.The uncontrolled area of Baltimore airport is dangerous due to vehicle drivers not yielding to aircraft. This type of incident occurs on a regular basis and apparently with different types of aircraft and different pilots. It is truly unknown to me why someone would intentionally come within a few feet of the propeller of an aircraft just so they do not have to wait two seconds for an aircraft to pass by.
A C-208 pilot reported a near collision with a ground vehicle as he was transiting the ramp obtaining a taxi clearance from Ground Control.