1924

• Saia is founded in 1924.
• This is in response to the many requests Louis Saia Sr. of Houma, LA, received to haul his customers’ goods to New Orleans, where he travels to pick up produce.
• He removes the rear seats of his family car to make the first company “truck.”

1980s

• The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 — This act of Congress deregulates the trucking industry, allowing Saia to open more terminals outside Louisiana and across the Sunbelt.
• By the mid-1980s, Saia is one of the largest regional LTL carriers in the country, with 23 terminals across five Southeastern states, approximately 1,000 employees and over $50 million in revenue.
• In 1987, the Saia family sells the business to Preston Trucking Company.

1990s

• 1993 — Yellow Corporation acquires Saia by purchasing Preston.
• 1995 — Saia merges with Smalley Transportation, another Yellow division, and opens terminals in North and South Carolina as well as western Texas.
• 1996 — Saia moves its corporate office to Johns Creek, Georgia.

2000s

• Early 2000s — Saia acquires Action Express, WestEx, and Clark Bros. Transport, expanding coverage to 30 states.
• The company is publicly traded under the Saia brand for the first time on NASDAQ (“SAIA”).
• 2007 — Saia acquires The Connection Company and Madison Freight Systems, Inc.
• Saia also launches a unique year-long breast cancer awareness campaign, in conjunction with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• For the first time in its history, Saia has over a billion dollars in gross revenue in 2008.
• 2009 — Saia joins Smartway, as it works to reduce the company’s environmental impact.
• Going beyond LTL, Saia later expands its services by acquiring Robart Companies, a non-asset-based truckload service, and 3PL entity in 2012.
• 2015 — Saia acquired LinkEx Inc., a diversified, asset-light, 3PL based in Dallas, Texas.
• Saia begins organic expansion into the Northeast in 2017.

2024 MARKS A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE

• Over the last eight years, Saia has added 53 new terminals and nearly doubled its employee count.
• Saia finalizes the purchase of 28 Yellow terminals.
•  Saia opens its first terminal in the state of Montana.

ABOUT THE MOBILE MUSUEM

Saia’s mobile museums are touring the nation! We will be making stops at our terminals, visiting our customers and the communities we serve nationwide. Guests can step into a real Saia truck and experience our 100-year history with interactive artifacts.
Want to know what it’s like to be a real Saia driver? Get behind the wheel of our action-packed simulator and learn how we drive our trucks. Follow our website to see where this immersive museum experience goes next.