A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 31; Flight Crew Total 16500; Flight Crew Type 1880
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Aircraft taxiing south on taxiway R cannot see westbound vehicular traffic on the access road approaching taxiway R until they are immediately adjacent to taxiway R near the southwest corner of the hanger. This blind spot is due to the close proximity of the hanger to taxiway R. After the First Officer (FO) contacted South Ground near check point 2 on taxiway R and told them that we were parking at gate XX; the controller responded that the gate was occupied and instructed us to turn right onto taxiway B to hold short of taxiway U (pointed west).  The South Ground frequency was congested but the FO was able acknowledge the clearance back to ground. FO told me that he would contact company/ramp to determine when the gate and ally would clear. I would continue to monitor ground control frequency.We were approaching the southwest corner of the hanger (on my left) and access road on taxiway R; when out of the corner of my eye I picked up a westbound black pickup vehicle moving at high speed (estimated 40 -50 mph) headed for the access road. I uttered an expletive and immediately jammed on the brakes to try to stop but by this time we were on top of the access road. Hearing my expletive; the FO then also saw the vehicle. The driver didn't appear to notice us until he was on the taxiway directly in front of us and only then appeared to swerve before disappearing under the nose of the aircraft.  Both FO and I momentarily braced for collision until we saw the vehicle re-emerge under the right side of the nose and continue west to the southern hardstand area. Due to the aggressive braking; the aircraft came to an abrupt stop on the access road but once we saw the vehicle head for the hardstand we continued taxi as instructed. The FO who had switched his audio panel to make the gate query call inadvertently reported the 'near-miss' to ramp before switching back to ground to report the incident to the ground controller. Ground responded that they would report the vehicle to Airport Ops; but he was very busy working other aircraft and we knew that this report was a low priority for him.
[Report narrative contained no additional information].
An air carrier crew took evasive action to avoid a collision with a speeding vehicle on taxiway R near the maintenance hangar.