Vermont has a truck problem. Specifically, it has a problem with “a truck driver who ignored every warning sign, every flashing beacon, every physical obstacle and every basic principle of spatial reasoning and drove a semi into a mountain pass the width of a Chevrolet Silverator.”
The country has officially lost patience.
Smugglers’ Notch, a scenic winding mountain pass on Route 108 that connects Stowe and Cambridge, is one of those truly beautiful roads, but if you’re driving more than a roomy SUV, it’s really not for you.
These tight, serpentine curves have been swallowing up large trucks for years, completely closing the 3.5-mile stretch of road for hours once someone crams it like a size 12 boot into a size 8 shoe.
Large trucks are banned from the roads. This part isn’t subtle.
Vermont has tried everything except hiring a guy to stand there and yell
The embedded video is below, please wait a moment for it to load. This clip from a few years ago highlights the exact issues that persist in Smuggler’s Gulch.
The state’s history of trying to prevent this from happening reads like a very depressing list.
Ten years ago, lawmakers increased the fine from $162 to $1,000, with a $2,000 fine imposed if a stuck truck causes significant traffic delays. The trucks kept coming. About five years ago, Vermont added digital warning signs and solar-powered flashing beacons at each entrance, joining physical signs that already read “VT108 No Tractor Trailers” in plain English. The trucks kept coming.
Three years ago, lawmakers introduced a bill that would fine truckers if their systems guided GPS navigation companies into the Notch without clearly marking the ban. Most accidents involve drivers using consumer GPS applications not designed for commercial vehicles. The bill did not pass.
Two years ago, the Vermont Department of Transportation installed chicanes, physical structures that narrow the road and force traffic into S-curves, essentially a built-in “no passing” for oversized vehicles. The first hairpin opens on May 14, 2024. On May 16, 2024, a truck driver attempted to negotiate the sharp turn.
Two days. It lasted two days.
So here we are.
On March 20, the Vermont Senate passed a bill that would increase fines tenfold. Any truck driver entering Smuggler’s Gulch faces a $10,000 fine. If stuck, the amount jumps to $20,000. Do it again within three years and the fine doubles, meaning a driver who drives twice on a road with multiple “No Trucks” written on it could theoretically be hit with a $60,000 fine.
The bill would also penalize a driver’s record with 5 points for each violation and suspend half of the driver’s license at once.
The legislation is now before the Vermont House of Representatives, with a committee deadline of March 31. If the House amends the bill, it would return to the Senate before going to the governor’s desk.
It remains to be seen whether the threat of five-figure fines will succeed in the absence of flashing lights, extensive warning signs and physical barriers. Vermont clearly hopes that truckers who can overcome all other deterrents will at least hesitate if the consequences sound like a down payment on a house.