Small Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport
While taxiing to the ramp on taxiway Juliet from Runway 33R a catering truck barely missed my airplane.[It] was a clear dark night.  After Landing on runway 33 right I exited at the end of runway 33R; turned left on taxiway Juliet; contacted ground and was cleared to [the ramp] via Juliet.Approaching the service road that crosses taxiway Juliet I had on all taxi lights; landing lights; courtesy lights; and strobe lights. This is due to an ongoing problem with vehicles crossing the active taxiway without looking. I [then] noticed a vehicle on my left [had] just passed through the gate between the ramps. I confirmed the vehicle had stopped but then observed a truck on right that had not stopped. I now locked up my brakes and added full reverse; missing the truck [by] two to three feet and coming to a stop in the opposite lane of the service road. The hard braking and reverse forced the nose strut to compress. This created a spring effect that was multiplied by removing reverse thrust rapidly; the plane tilted back and the tail struck the ground then came back to its original position. I sat still for a few minutes observing the driver of the catering truck who now had parked the truck off on the side of the service road; and was standing outside the truck [and] visibly upset.  I then continued to taxi to avoid closing the only entry and exit into the cargo ramp.Better or more enforcement of traffic rules on this ongoing hot spot on the airport.
The pilot of a Small Transport aircraft; taxiing to the ramp at BWI; had to stop aggressively to avoid colliding with a catering truck whose driver apparently failed to note the illumination from the aircraft's fully illuminated landing; taxi; courtesy and strobe lights on a clear dark night. The reporter advised conflicts with inattentive drivers are common at the location where the event took place.