California Construction Trucking Association (CCTA)

CBS Sacramento 13

HESPERIA (CBSLA.com) — A UC Riverside study found that commercially cooked hamburgers cause more air pollution than diesel trucks.

The study, which focused on commercial charbroilers found in burger restaurants, said the equipment generates grease, smoke, water vapors and combustion products, which emit a large amount of particulate matter into the air.

“For comparison, an 18-wheeler diesel engine truck would have to drive 143 miles on the freeway to put out the same mass of particulates as a single charbroiled hamburger patty,” said Bill Welch, the principle engineer.

Researchers also found few regulations for the restaurant emissions.

Customers at a Hesperia burger joint said you can’t compare diesel emissions with hamburger smoke.

“Either way, we’re living in a world (where) we’re still going through pollution. But the difference is we are getting some type of benefit from (the burger),” said Maria Segura.

The UCR study is co-funded by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

DMV NEWS

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The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is learning the hard truth behind Kermit the Frog's lament "It's Not Easy Being Green."

In the midst of writing its plan for how the valley can achieve the most recent clean air standard handed down by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on PM2.5 (tiny particles of dust and soot), the district realized its plan would likely kibosh $1.5 billion in upcoming transportation projects throughout the valley.

A decision filed by the California Court of Appeal on September 5, 2012 in Oscar Bell et al. v. H.F. Cox, Inc. reaffirmed the exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) overtime provisions for employed drivers – even if they mostly drive intrastate.

In a case that originally was filed in July 2005 when some employee drivers sought to bring a wage and hour class action against their employer – Cox – making five allegations of which one was that they were not paid for work performed beyond 40 hours. The trial court found that plaintiffs were exempt from federal overtime compensation requirements.  Plaintiffs had also alleged other violations which three of the counts were summarily adjudicated in favor of Cox and a jury found in favor of Cox on another count. Cox was awarded attorney fees as the prevailing party.