CAMBRIDGE, Vermont — A tractor-trailer driver from Massachusetts was fined $2,347 after getting stuck on Smugglers' Notch Road on the morning of September 29th, prompting a temporary closure of Vermont Route 108.

According to the Vermont DMV Enforcement and Safety Division, officers and Vermont State Police were dispatched at 10:33 AM after a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia truck became stuck in a prohibited section of the Notch — an area well-known for its tight curves and strict vehicle restrictions.

The truck, pulling a semi-trailer, measured approximately 73 feet in total length, significantly violating Vermont regulation Title 23 VSA 1006b, which prohibits combination vehicles over 45 feet from entering the area. The driver was identified as 42-year-old Jackson Mulindwa of Newton, Massachusetts.

Authorities reported that Route 108 was closed on the Stowe side at 10:49 AM due to the incident and reopened just over 30 minutes later, at 11:20 AM, after the scene was cleared.

Despite physical barriers known as chicanes being installed in 2024 to prevent oversized vehicles from entering, multiple trucks have still become stuck since the road reopened in May. Officials continue to stress that drivers must heed warning signs and turn around before reaching the narrow pass.

The Vermont DMV reiterated that commercial drivers who ignore restrictions on the Notch Road may face thousands in fines and significant disruption to local traffic.