SAIA | Thinking of switching...give me the skinny

We can only speculate on that particular question. There is really no way to ever know. What we do know is that this industry is predominately non-union today and competition is brutal. From an efficiency stand point the nons have a great advantage and that's one reason this industry will stay predominantly non-union .... Right or wrong that's just the way things are.
I just feel that if the industry as a whole stuck together trucking wouldn't be in this downward spiral its in now. Deregulation started cut throat amongst carriers and drivers.
 
I just feel that if the industry as a whole stuck together trucking wouldn't be in this downward spiral its in now. Deregulation started cut throat amongst carriers and drivers.
Much of the Teamsters problems today is because of Hoffa Jr. His name got him elected but he has been one of the worst Presidents ever. He has done to the Teamsters what Obama has done to America ..... IMO
 
Anyways......there are pros and cons with any job. I owe too much to take a 2 year pay cut and ride the dock. Others are without that option. If I was going g to drive for the next 30 for sure, I wouldn't dream of changing. Hopefully, I've got 5 more years max. This life is fine but not for me.

So, you get paid for hooking your set, is there a set amount if time? What about breakdowns? Late meets? Or is there just a basic pay to hook and unhook? What's the starting amount for miles and hourly?
I think Saia Linehaul position would be good for you, as you can make great money right off the bat especially in Grayslake.. I personally know a couple guys who have been at saia for less than 2 years and they're on pace to make 90k (their bids are 500+ miles, with 2 or 3 drop/hooks).. The system guys are doing well over there too...

For dropping and hooking a set you get paid a flat rate of 10.85 there's no actual set time.. For breakdowns you get paid delay time after 1 hr at 24.11/hr. Same for late meets. I'm not sure of starting pay as of late, it seems to fluctuate as the demand for drivers fluctuate. But top pay for GLK and CGO is .64/mile and 24.11/hour, and starting pay is usually 85-97% of that. The longest pay progressions company-wide is 18 months, but it may currently be shorter than that. You might want to call the CGO/GLK terminals managers directly for that, their numbers can be found here http://www.saia.com/TransitTimeCoverage.aspx
 
No job is without morale issues. We all are different and are entitled to our opinions so here is mine. We are a work in progress and it takes time to get things right or at least more manageable. We speak of ineptness in management but let's not forget ineptness in drivers. When management has to work with drivers that give less than 100% you will have some issues. Don't try and blame driver morale totally on management. Some drivers just have **** poor attitudes and you can never make them happy. But let's get beyond that. My constant theme on here and will always be that a Union is not the answer. Where is the answer? ... It's in trial and error. It's in fine tuning the machine. It just takes time. If PR83 thinks the Union is the answer then so be it. I've been doing this longer than most and I can tell you the Union is not the answer. The Union leadership cares about one thing and one thing only .... THEMSELVES .... Wake up and start smelling the :::shit::: your trying to shovel.

Where the hell did I say the teamsters was the answer? Nobody here was even talking about the union until you showed up...
 
I said "if" Mr. Negative ..... You sound like you hate this company. Why do you stay? Management is only part of the problem. Don't lay all that on them.
Ups Freight...... big difference. I see that in my paycheck weekly. Probably not much longer though I'm afraid.
They also can't contractually can't lay me off without getting rid of purchased transportation so me and others are in kind if a black hole right now
He actually interjected the Union in this thread. I responded with a sarcastic remark.
Hard to believe that its not sunshine and roses at SAIA !!
Lets see what the resident expert has to say about this.
You encourage this ::shit::.
 
You have a **** poor attitude. You are part of the problem, not part of the solution.
This broken record just keeps going on and on and on ! Must be the first thing that is taught in the when I grow up I want to be a dispatcher / manager and boss everybody around class.
Give credit where credit is due ...
You failed the dispatcher test but passed the fat lip exam !!
 
I said "if" Mr. Negative ..... You sound like you hate this company. Why do you stay? Management is only part of the problem. Don't lay all that on them.

He actually interjected the Union in this thread. I responded with a sarcastic remark.

Mentioning the fact that he can't be laid off is not interjecting the union into a thread. You saw an opportunity to take a cheap shot and took it, which interjected a whole load of crap about the union that had absolutely ZERO to do with the subject at hand. Then you proceeded to bring my name into the union conversation when you know full well I am not a union thumper.

I'm sorry I don't sugarcoat things enough for you, but if someone wants to know something about a company, I'm not going to blow smoke up their asses and let them be dissapointed later on. Bottom line, the guy asked about the Chicago area and seeing as how I am based out of this terminal, I think what I laid out for him is pretty accurate. But then again you wouldn't have the faintest idea what goes on up here, because you run city in GRL and that's the only aspect of this company that you have ever seen, and you think things are the same across the board. Newsflash: THEY AREN'T. I've run system for almost two years now and have been to every region other than the west coast.

Maybe if you could put your union fixation aside for a little bit, you might actually be able to contribute something to this board, other than typing out the same old three page anti-union essay that you do at least once a week. We get it, give it a rest. Hell I even agree with a good portion of it and I'm still sick of seeing it...
 
Mentioning the fact that he can't be laid off is not interjecting the union into a thread. You saw an opportunity to take a cheap shot and took it, which interjected a whole load of crap about the union that had absolutely ZERO to do with the subject at hand. Then you proceeded to bring my name into the union conversation when you know full well I am not a union thumper.

I'm sorry I don't sugarcoat things enough for you, but if someone wants to know something about a company, I'm not going to blow smoke up their asses and let them be dissapointed later on. Bottom line, the guy asked about the Chicago area and seeing as how I am based out of this terminal, I think what I laid out for him is pretty accurate. But then again you wouldn't have the faintest idea what goes on up here, because you run city in GRL and that's the only aspect of this company that you have ever seen, and you think things are the same across the board. Newsflash: THEY AREN'T. I've run system for almost two years now and have been to every region other than the west coast.

Maybe if you could put your union fixation aside for a little bit, you might actually be able to contribute something to this board, other than typing out the same old three page anti-union essay that you do at least once a week. We get it, give it a rest. Hell I even agree with a good portion of it and I'm still sick of seeing it...
Actually I'm sort of surprised you didn't go on the old sheep analogy or the brownnosing sucksass failed dispatcher rant. I gave you every opportunity but you showed restraint and that actually surprises me. I know your not a Union thumper but I get sick of your constant negativity and I get sick of seeing that. To be fair I know much more about this company than you know but to try and explain it to you would be pointless. You wouldn't believe it. I will try and stay on topic from now on.
 
Much of the Teamsters problems today is because of Hoffa Jr. His name got him elected but he has been one of the worst Presidents ever. He has done to the Teamsters what Obama has done to America ..... IMO
What has Obama done to america? I know he isn't perfect, but who the hell is, he is a hell of a lot better then his predecessor. Let me guess, Obamacare and Benghazi? That's all I hear from republicans.
 
What has Obama done to america? I know he isn't perfect, but who the hell is, he is a hell of a lot better then his predecessor. Let me guess, Obamacare and Benghazi? That's all I hear from republicans.
Another Hillary supporter ... God, don't get me started on that POS. I shouldn't have brought that up. It's off topic and I can't go there on here. Move into the Politics forum please!!
 
Actually I'm sort of surprised you didn't go on the old sheep analogy or the brownnosing sucksass failed dispatcher rant. I gave you every opportunity but you showed restraint and that actually surprises me. I know your not a Union thumper but I get sick of your constant negativity and I get sick of seeing that. To be fair I know much more about this company than you know but to try and explain it to you would be pointless. You wouldn't believe it. I will try and stay on topic from now on.

This isn't a cat and mouse game of seeing how many people you can bait into insulting you. Most of us just want the facts, including the OP, I'm sure.

As far as what you think you know about this place, thats irrelevent.
 
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Here's the skinny on SAIA... Come to work when you are told, don't tear up their s*$t, and make a 6 figure income (Line haul). And oh yeah... learn to pick your battles. That's the skinny on SAIA, at least it was for me. They are real understanding when you need to take off and they are some pretty nice people to work for if they know they can rely on you. Remember, a dispatcher or terminal manager LOVES a driver he or she does not have to manage.
 
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