I cannot speak for LAX, but I can for LAS.
First point, all major airports in the US now have ASDE-X whereby controllers not only "see" aircraft on the movement area, but also vehicles (although they do not ident what type).
Second, all airport workers who drive on the movement area MUST be trained to a certain standard (it's mandated by FAR 139) of driving. It requires you be able to operate your vehicle safely at night (the night test covers both day and night). There is a written exam as well as the practical test. You must pass both to get the M designation on your badge. And......you only take this test if your work
requires you to be on the movement area. Getting the R for ramp is a totally different ball game and restricts you to ramp only and you must use designated service roads ONLY.
What we don't (yet) know in this case, is which department this guy worked for and what he was doing out in the movement area. Also, if he was authorized to be there, was he monitoring the correct frequency? Was he new and just trained? A lot of unanswered questions so far.
Runway incursions do happen, they are rare. Having said that, there is always a reason for them and until we know what happened here, its speculation.
With regards to cutting off an aircraft, I can add a few pointers, too. In an airport environment, vehicles ALWAYS give way to aircraft (or should), that's the rule. However, for some folks it's hard to know whether an aircraft is about to move or not (even if he/she is on the correct frequency). Airport ops only ever get the one-sided story from the ATC folks and they do not usually get the pilot's version. Therefore, it is difficult to determine a fair judgment. Nevertheless, at most airports, if ops gets a call from tower (and finds the offender), then they have to respond and it is an automatic citation - with no defense/excuse/waiver.
We need to have far more info here than the LA times and even the airport "spokesperson" is relaying.............
