Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
We were cleared to line up and wait on Runway XXL at Taxiway XX in ZZZ. Shortly after we were cleared for takeoff. I was the Pilot Flying and I advanced the thrust levers. When taking the controls from the First Officer I accidentally bumped the tiller on the way to the yoke. As we were accelerating we got a Steering Inop Master Caution. We aborted the takeoff roll. We stopped and I knew that it was my error that caused the EICAS message; so I decided to reengage the steering to turn off the runway. We turned off and asked ATC to put us to the side so we could run some checklists. After running the checklists I informed the First Officer that I had bumped the tiller and caused the EICAS message. We decided to continue and had enough fuel to depart.I recently upgraded to this aircraft type and this was my first aborted takeoff as a Captain. I haven't been flying much unfortunately; so I felt a little rusty going in. The first error was bumping the tiller on the takeoff roll. This caused the steer inop and caused the aborted takeoff. The next error was not calling maintenance to verify everything is working as intended. The message trigger was when we were accelerating with the Steering Inop.I need to take my time and not rush. I felt as though I rushed myself getting off of the runway.
Air carrier Captain reported aborting a takeoff roll when the tiller was accidentally bumped; causing the steering to disengage.