A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 111; Flight Crew Total 8100
Situational Awareness
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors
As we approached the gate to park; I noticed that the marshaller and the right side wing walker were both in place. The marshaller gave me a stop signal as he was waiting on the left wing walker to arrive. It took approximately 2-3 mins for the left wing walker to arrive and then I began the taxi under marshalling guidance. There was an aircraft parked at gate X with bustling activity near it and I noticed a vehicle just abeam the aircraft's left wing. It was headed towards us while on the service road. I assumed that the driver saw us taxiing and would slow as he got closer to us - but I assumed wrong. When I first noticed the van; my head and gaze was slightly to the left but then I quickly began to look straight ahead to focus on the marshaller's guidance.Suddenly; out of my left peripheral view; I noticed that this van was headed towards us at a steady speed and was not intending to stop! I then aggressively 'slammed' on the brakes to bring our aircraft to a stop and made eye contact with both the forward passenger and driver. He then backed the van up as our left wing walker aggressively signaled for him to move. Once he was clear; I continued taxiing to the gate under marshalling guidance. Just after I stopped the aircraft (before being potentially struck); the First Officer made a call to the Ramp to report the van. It was a cleaning van and the First Officer said he saw the number on it. I didn't see the number but I'm 100% sure it was a white aircraft cleaners van. There are way too many issues here to list and most are self-explanatory in this matter. In all my years; I've never seen a more egregious act of carelessness on ANY ramp - anywhere in our system. The First Officer and I estimate them to be no farther away than 10-15 feet away from the number one engine which was still powered (of course). How the driver didn't see me nor anyone else in the van notice and say something completely escapes me. If it weren't for me stopping abruptly I'm terrified to think of them careening headlong into a powered engine! Once in the terminal; I called the Zone Controller to report the incident and followed up around 20 minutes later. When I called back; the Controller stated she had reported the incident to her Supervisor and they viewed the incident as it was recorded on camera (thankfully). She also mentioned it was logged and I added that I'd be reporting the egregious incident as well under [company reporting system].
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
An A319 flight crew reported they had to 'slam' on the brakes to avoid a vehicle driving towards them on the ramp.