Last we checked in with Lockridge, he was having some trouble remembering what station he was on. Maybe he was having a bad day. So , I decided to check on him - again. That's Sirius "Road Dog Trucking" channel 147 at 2pm.
The day I tuned in, again, it seems he got completely lost, poor fella. At the start of his show he was nowhere to be found. Listeners had to suffer through (an additional) 20 (long) minutes, listening to the retarded Chris T." Do you feel comfortable taking that much weight (68,000 lbs.) over the bridge?" Huh? This clown must have something over the program director to have finagled a job. Or, whoever put together the "talent" figured, well, he's big, dumb and ugly - just like 'em ah-ta (that's "other" NYC style) truckers. Who cares if he knows zilch, nada, zippo about trucking. He'll be fun. And nobody else wants the job- right? Right.
The first caller on the "Lockridge Report", hosted by "Chris T", was "Hot Tater", a Canadian, who claims he has been trying to call "into" the show for 2 months. Now either he was bribed to say that ( offered a discontinued NASCAR hat 1/2 price?) or he confused Lockridge with the Playboy channel or Road Dog needs to install a 4th phone line. Would you trust any human being that refers to himself as "Hot Tater." No.
Finally at about 2:21 or so, Lockridge finds the studio, or his ISDB line or whatever and comes on air. He tells us that on today's show, already in "progress", will be a lobbyist (Lockridge doesn't call him this) for the ATA - American Trucking Association (Lockridge doesn't say this either). That would be one Brian Worth. Also, Jeff Farmer, a ("head") organizer for the Teamsters, will be the "other" guest.
This Worth fella is an interesting character. The only bio info I could find on him was at the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) trade association web site. He was Assistant Administrator of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Small Business Administration. That only means he "was" a budget pencil pusher. Before that he was a Legislative Assistant in Congressman Dave Hobson's (R-OH) office. That's a Congressman's gofer. Nothing outstanding in terms of education or accomplishments, but he obviously he's got mid-level Bush (Republican) connections and a good recruiter.
Now I judge a interview by what questions are NOT asked. And after hearing about what we already know about Overnite, UPS and DHL, my interest in the "discussion" ended there. What Lockridge needed to ask and didn't - what would have gotten Lockridge some "press" is this: (1) what's going on with unionizing all FEDEX drivers? (2) What are the Teamsters organizing plans concerning OTR company drivers? That would be "us", all those not with Fedex, UPS, Roadway, etc. (3) What is the position of the IEC, MyPrivateBallot and the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace on Wal-Mart and others using (allegedly) undocumented "illegal" Mexican workers at its job sites? I have a whole list of questions, but that's Lockridge's job, not mine.
Recently, Worth was on the (Republican mouthpiece) Dennis Miller show. If you Google Worth CDW, the top "hits" are all about him on Miller. I briefly listened to the Podcast of that interview, but it was no better than what Lockridge did.
Ok, so what do we have here, bottom line? Well, I like this Evan Lockridge character. He's got a lot of potential. He's trying to play it safe - be good to both sides of the fence. But that the problem. He safe, not controversial, and therefore, boring. I understand safe, it gets you a paycheck. And nobody gets rich in trucking, unless your a lobbyist, a CEO or use trucking as a springboard into something else that pays better. If Lockridge was more "controversial" could he cross-over, out of trucking to more mainstream broadcasting for more money - YES.
He's probably producing his own show. I'd like to see him get some help and some more time. Most of the callers into the show want him to get more time. ARE YOU LISTENING SIRIUS? As I said in an earlier posting, he's up against some heavy hitters like Jay Thomas, Bubba and Stern reruns. He's got a MySpace page which is childish - it gives him a few "friends", but does little or nothing for his attempt to try and be a "serious" broadcaster. If he can manage to take this Sirius (serious) opportunity and ratchet it up a bit, that will be to his, and our, benefit.
And a PS/perhaps Lockridge can get someone at Sirius to change the info on their Road Dog site and delete that crap about truckers striking. None of my big company "compadres" ever contemplated a strike. The rest of it is, as another Sirius personality likes to say: "bullcrappy."
"Independent owner/operators and some of their big company compadres are shutting off their engines to protest the high cost of fuel, among other things making it impossible to earn a living as a truck driver. Road Dog is taking it to the streets, with programs that give these men and women who keep America rolling a voice, and breaking news around the clock and around the nation. "
