Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Procedure; Human Factors
While working all Tower positions combined; airport vehicle; a regular on the airfield and having completed an excessive number of runway crossings; called to proceed from Taxiway A-2 to Taxiway Bravo and Echo. I asked vehicle to confirm he needed/wanted to cross Runway 19; and he acknowledged by starting his vehicle moving and reading back that he was crossing Runway 19. I corrected him; again advising him that I had not cleared or authorized him to cross Runway 19; but only asked if that was his intentions; vehicles regularly go around the approach end of Runway 19 to get from Taxiway Alpha to Taxiway Bravo. He advised that he did indeed desire to cross Runway 19; so I authorized the airport vehicle to cross Runway 19 at the approach end. I recommend that the Savannah Airport change; update or revise their AOA driving course to ensure that all vehicles specifically request to cross active runways. They are taught to require ATC to give them the crossing clearance; but do not actually request to cross the runway. Additionally; they seldom report crossing completed in accordance with the SAV/SAC Letter of Agreement. The current trend; and this is only very recently; has been to always make each transmission into a bunch of calls; further tying up the frequency and controllers. They begin every request with an obligatory initial call to 'wake us up' then once they have our attention; advise us where they are and where they want to go. ATC likes the part where they no longer tell us HOW they desire to go; which created bad scenarios; but by their vague or stealth requests to cross runways; combined with the unprecedented in-experience level at the SAV ATCT; makes the perfect combination for a series or serious runway incursion or incident. Active runways are sacred ground in our world; if the vehicles would specifically request the needed runway crossings at SAV like they do at most airports; we can ensure that runway safety is a priority once again at SAV. Bottom line: Aircraft call to cross runways; ATC clears them across active runways; airport vehicles should call to cross runways; so ATC can clear them across the active runways.
SAV Controller voiced concern regarding the airport vehicle operations with regard to crossing runways.  The reporter listed incomplete requests and failures to comply with LOA requirements.