Saia's Northeast Expansion On Target for May Launch
Less-than-truckload carrier Saia Inc. announced plans to expand into the Northeast, with four terminals opening in the beginning of May remaining on track and on time.
The Johns Creek, Georgia, company, which ranks No. 25 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers, announced in October intentions to expand into the Northeast, telling industry analysts that the region generates about $7 billion in annual freight revenue — $5 billion of which travels through its current network.
The terminals will in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Newark, New Jersey.
“The new terminals have been secured, and our team is in the process of updating and designing the operational layout to meet our customers’ expectations,” Chief Customer Officer Ray Ramu said “In addition, our sales and operational leadership team is in place to manage the launch.
"We are fortunate that our new managers are industry veterans with extensive knowledge of the metro markets in these areas. We’re also happy with the progress being made recruiting drivers and other support personnel.”
In addition to these terminals, Saia has purchased a facility in Laurel, Maryland, which is about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The Laurel terminal is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2017 and assist in LTL service to customers in Maryland, Delaware and Northern Virginia.
Saia is hoping to capture Northeast market share from larger LTL carriers such as UPS Inc. which ranks No. 1 on the for-hire TT100, FedEx Corp. (No. 2), XPO Logistics (No. 3), YRC Worldwide (No. 5), Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. (No. 11) and Estes Express Lines (No. 14). Saia also would compete with smaller regional LTLs such as Pitt Ohio (No. 48), New England Motor Freight, whose parent company, Shevell Group, ranks No. 60 and A. Duie Pyle Inc. (No. 73)
