Originally Posted by Herkflyr

I've actually thought about this, and there is a pretty significant difference--two significant differences in fact.

1. He is giving you more specific details. "Follow the 737 exiting ramp 3." He is NOT saying "follow the 737"...and leaving it at that, for you to decipher. (There was that time the ORD controller told me to "follow the United Airbus"; I replied, "which of the three that are about to pass me should I follow?").

2. Biggest difference is that you the pilots are looking forward and can SEE the traffic the controller is tellling you to follow, and any other traffic for that matter. That is a whole lot different than trying to use the tug driver as your eyes, who did not hear one word of the clearance that the ramp controller gave you.