Air Traffic Control Fully Certified; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Air Traffic Control Non Radar 4; Air Traffic Control Radar 2; Flight Crew Last 90 Days 22; Flight Crew Total 1950; Flight Crew Type 366
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure; Staffing
Upon the arrival leg into ZZZ the TRACON controller (very good); assisted us getting around the terribly laid out SLC Bravo airspace. The Controller informed us to contact the SLC Tower upon departure for a transition through the Bravo off ZZZ.On departure; we contacted SLC ATCT. The Controller issued a beacon code. We did not receive a Bravo clearance however. We began to orbit. We experienced moderate turbulence; up/down drafts and high engine temps as we orbited and waited for clearance. It never came.The Controller who was clearly working too many frequencies combined was issuing clearances to parked aircraft on Clearance Delivery. This is completely unacceptable. Either the priority of duties is incorrect at SLC Tower or this Controller needs a refresher as airborne aircraft shouldn't be in holding because you're playing catch up on CD. After finishing a third orbit of getting my brain rattled by turbulence; I called on the frequency with just my tail number. The Controller; who'd clearly forgotten that he was also working airborne aircraft cleared me through the Bravo immediately.The Tower needs to understand that there is very little reality in the small area where the Bravo doesn't start near ZZZ. This creates terrain alerts and terrible ride conditions; especially for lighter aircraft.I understand that due to COVID-19 that Controllers are working more frequencies than usual. I get it. This can't happen though. The level of service shouldn't be sacrificed for anything and in this case; it clearly was. Please be better. Airlines not moving on the ground shouldn't have priority over general aviation in the air.
Pilot reported issues with the service provided by SLC Tower and cited Controller workload as a contributing factor.