BOSTON — Several days after a deadly duck boat crash FOX25 has obtained documents that outline what requirements drivers need to meet to get their hackney license.
The Boston Police Department Hackney Division approves all drivers for Boston Duck tours, cabs and other livery vehicles operating in the city.
Like the RMV, the Hackney Division looks at a driver’s record going back 10 years as part of their process and there are several requirements they must meet.
- No more than 4 violations/accidents as defined by the RMV in the last 3 years
- Has not had driver's license been suspended for 5 or more surchargeable events, within the last 5 years
The driver of the duck boat involved in the crash, Victor Tavares, had seven violations in the 10 years before he was hired, but only one of them was within the three years before his hiring that the Hackney Division looks at.
Boston Duck Tours says they had a full look at his 10-year driver’s record, and nothing in it disqualified him from the job.
After Tavares was hired in 2010 he had an additional three violations, but again there were not multiple violations within the same three-year period.
"In accordance with RMV policy, employers are provided upon request with a 10-year driver record, that includes any unresolved offenses outside that window. The RMV has been responsive to this employers previous requests and has provided the appropriate information,” a MassDOT spokesperson told FOX25.
Boston Duck Tours said Tavares had an exemplary record while driving for them for the six years prior to last week’s deadly crash.
The Boston Police Hackney Unit also tells FOX25 they conducted an inspection of the duck boat involved in the deadly crash last august and no violations were found.