Trucking groups say new electronic overweight‑permit portal has smoothed after rollout hiccups

Bill Smith, representing the Vermont Truck and Bus Association and the Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Association, briefed the Senate Transportation committee on a recent rollout of an electronic portal for single‑trip overweight and overdimensional permits. Smith said the system — implemented after several years of DMV work and built with vendor ProMiles (and Fullmile for Vermont implementation) — initially experienced some delays when it launched but has since stabilized.

"Now you can get a permit between instant and 30 minutes," Smith told the committee, describing how early November and December users experienced 'hiccups' but DMV and the vendor have dialed the system in. He said industry members are assisting peers: Jeff Newton of Barrick Trucking agreed to provide hands‑on help and the association planned a Feb. 9 walkthrough for users.

Smith described the practical importance of faster electronic permitting for time‑sensitive construction and hauling operations and noted ongoing challenges around municipal overweight permits and mud‑season restrictions. He said many towns issue municipal permits (typically a $10 fee) and receive insurance and operator details from applicants; expanding the state portal to include municipal permit filing could centralize insurance verification and reduce confusion, but towns vary in capacity and some may resist changing local procedures.

Committee members asked for data on delays and denials from the launch period; Smith said he has spoken individually with members affected by rollout problems but emphasized the current improvement and local outreach to help users adopt the portal. The committee did not take formal action; members were advised to direct constituents with continuing problems to association contacts and to expect further follow up.