Boston duck boat operators to put 2 staffers on all vehicles

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Duck Tours says it will separate the responsibilities of driver and tour guide on the popular amphibious sightseeing vehicles.


The company says beginning next year, there will be two staffers on all their duck boat tours, one driving the vehicle and another narrating the tour.

A 28-year-old woman was killed in April when she was struck by a duck boat while driving her scooter near Boston Common.

Allison Warmuth's parents have since pushed for passage of legislation in Massachusetts that would require a separate narrator, so the driver can focus on operating the vehicle safely.

The company says it has also installed new blind-spot cameras and is in the process of installing proximity sensors on the vehicles.

Seattle imposed new rules, including separate tour guides, after a duck boat crashed into a charter bus last year, killing five passengers on the bus.