In yet another case of government overreach, Vermont lawmakers have introduced S.66, a bill that would restrict the use of engine compression brakes (commonly known as Jake brakes) unless trucks are equipped with a special muffler system. On the surface, this bill claims to address excessive vehicle noise, but in reality, it’s a stealth attack on independent truckers, older diesel trucks, and even everyday drivers with slightly loud vehicles—a solution in search of a problem.

Sponsored by democrat Senators Rebecca White (Windsor), Alison Clarkson (Windsor), Martine Gulick (Chittenden Central), Joseph Major (Windsor), and Anne Watson (Washington), the bill reflects a growing pattern of anti-business, anti-trucking, and anti-car regulations that disproportionately burden owner-operators, small trucking businesses, and working-class Vermonters.

While the bill applies to all vehicles, truckers are the ones hit hardest financially because they will be forced to retrofit their rigs with expensive mufflers—a cost that smaller operators can’t easily absorb.

The Bill: A Disguised Attack on Older Trucks

S.66 proposes three major restrictions:

1. Jake brakes can’t be used unless a muffler is installed to reduce noise.
2. Modifying vehicle exhaust systems to produce excess noise or emissions is banned.
3. A new “citizen reporting system” will allow residents to report trucks, cars, and motorcycles for noise violations.

Violators will face fines starting at $250 and escalating to $750, and non-compliant trucks will fail state inspection—meaning they will either have to be modified or avoid Vermont altogether.

The Real Cost: Fewer Trucks, Higher Prices, and More Dangerous Roads

By discouraging truckers from operating in Vermont, this bill will increase costs for everyone—from farmers to small businesses to ordinary consumers.

• Fewer truckers in Vermont = higher shipping costs for businesses that rely on them.
• Higher freight costs = higher prices for goods and services statewide.
• Small businesses will take the hit the hardest, as they have fewer shipping alternatives.

Even worse, this bill could make Vermont’s highways more dangerous. Jake brakes are a critical safety tool, especially in mountainous areas. By limiting their use to only trucks with expensive muffler modifications, more truckers will be forced to rely on friction brakes, increasing the risk of overheated brakes and runaway trucks.

And guess what? The bill includes no provisions for additional runaway truck ramps—a clear sign that lawmakers are prioritizing noise complaints over public safety.

The “Rat App”: A Guaranteed Boondoggle

One of the most ridiculous elements of this bill is the creation of a state-funded citizen reporting system—an online “rat app” where Vermonters can snitch on truckers, car enthusiasts, and motorcycle riders for noise violations.

• It’s guaranteed to be expensive. Every government “cyber solution” inevitably turns into a bloated, costly mess, with development overruns and maintenance expenses.
• It will be abused. Just like during COVID, when Vermont encouraged citizens to snitch on neighbors and businesses for lockdown violations, this will turn into a harassment tool, where angry residents flood the system with complaints.
• It’s unnecessary. If vehicle noise is a problem, it should be measured and enforced by trained professionals—not random civilians with a grudge.

Vermont already has a history of encouraging neighbor-on-neighbor snitching, with the COVID-era rat line where residents could report businesses for minor compliance infractions. This bill follows the same disturbing pattern: empowering citizens to police each other instead of relying on due process and legitimate law enforcement.

The Fake Problem: It’s Going to Solve Itself Anyway

The most ridiculous part of this bill? The problem is already solving itself.

• New trucks already come equipped with noise-reducing mufflers.
• Older trucks are naturally aging out of the system, as fleets upgrade and emissions regulations already make them harder to operate.
• Market forces are already doing what this bill pretends to accomplish.

Vermont lawmakers could literally do nothing, and within a decade, loud, older trucks would be mostly gone anyway. Instead, they’ve chosen to punish small businesses now, forcing truckers to make expensive, unnecessary upgrades just to continue working.

If they had any patience, this issue would disappear without Vermont businesses and truckers eating the costs.

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S.66 Is a Meddling, Unnecessary, and Anti-Business Bill

This bill isn’t about protecting the public. It’s about appeasing a small group of noise-complaining busybodies while trucking businesses pay the price.

If lawmakers were serious about balancing noise concerns with economic reality, they would:
✔️ Grandfather in older trucks instead of forcing costly retrofits
✔️ Provide incentives or phase-in periods instead of sudden mandates
✔️ Invest in safety infrastructure, like more runaway truck ramps, instead of just restricting braking options

Instead, they’ve chosen the lazy approach—passing another regulation that makes Vermont a more expensive and difficult place to do business.

This law will do nothing except drive up costs, inconvenience truckers, and push small operators out of the market.

First, it was COVID restrictions.
Now, it’s Jake brakes and truck exhausts.
What’s next? An anonymous reporting app for climate “offenders” who dare to drive gas-powered cars?

The reality is, when government starts normalizing the citizen informant model, it never stops expanding.

The Final Verdict: A Waste of Time, Money, and Common Sense

S.66 is a classic example of lawmakers inserting themselves into a problem that doesn’t need solving.

❌ Noise complaints aren’t a public safety issue.
❌ Trucking is essential to Vermont’s economy.
❌ Older trucks and loud vehicles are already phasing out naturally.
❌ This will do more harm than good.

The real solution to this “problem”? A little time and patience.

Dave Soulia | FYIVT

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