FMCSA Driver Rule Could Disrupt Waste Services

Press Release

LONGWOOD, Fla. (March 5, 2026) — Waste Pro USA, a regional waste management company operating across the southeastern United States, filed an amicus brief, also known as a friend-of-the-court brief, Thursday in Rivera Lujan v. FMCSA (No. 26-1032), supporting an emergency motion asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to pause a recently finalized Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rule. The rule, scheduled to take effect March 16, changes commercial driver’s license eligibility for a large number of Employment Authorization Document holders—almost 200,000 drivers, according to the rule.

The emergency motion notes petitioners asked FMCSA to stay the rule Feb. 17. FMCSA denied the request Feb. 19.

Reliable waste collection and disposal services depend on stable licensing requirements, which help guide staffing and route planning. If implemented, the rule would reduce the pool of qualified, licensed commercial drivers available to essential service providers, including waste management companies responsible for daily collection and disposal services for municipalities, businesses, and residential communities across the region.

The brief, prepared by Colombo & Hurd, was filed to outline how the rule could affect service continuity for the communities served. It focuses on workforce and operational considerations for employers that depend on properly licensed commercial drivers.

“An amicus brief allows the court to consider practical information from affected industries,” said Sarah Wilson, a partner and the federal immigration litigation practice leader at Colombo & Hurd, counsel for Waste Pro USA. “Waste Pro’s filing supports the emergency motion and explains operational considerations the court may find relevant as it evaluates the request to pause the rule.”

Commercial driving remains workforce-constrained in many markets across the Southeast, and operators plan hiring, retention, and service routes around stable licensing requirements. Abrupt changes to driver eligibility standards can disrupt that planning and affect service reliability, with downstream implications for public health, environmental management, and municipal operations.

The emergency motion is pending before the court.