For More Information Contact: Customer Service Phone: 800-765-7242		PRESS RELEASE May 19, 2000
Saia Motor Freight Launches Improved Transit Times
Saia Motor Freight Line, Inc. has unveiled a new linehaul load plan that will dramatically reduce LTL shipment delivery times. The new, enhanced service will improve transit times by one day between more than 3 million 5-digit zip pairs in Saia’s 12-state region. The aggressive transit time improvement positions Saia to offer an upgraded product in a competitive marketplace. “Our execution of this plan follows an extensive study on ways we can provide superior service to our customers with a primary focus on improving transit times,” said Sally Buchholz, vice president of marketing and customer service. “This action will involve changing 3 million plus zip code pairs to overnight, cutting a day off all those lane pairings,” she said. Under this improvement, Saia will maintain its 97 percent plus on time service. Saia’s on-time delivery service has consistently exceeded 97 percent for the past three months and in some instances has approached the 98 percent level. “We are continuously working to improve our on-time service,” said Tony Albanese, senior vice president of operations and sales. “On-time delivery and on-time pick-up are two of the major components in measuring how well we handle our customer’s freight.” Saia measures six primary indicators developed as the result of in-depth research from customers making transportation buying decisions. Those six indicators, referred to as Saia’s Customer Service Indicators, include, in addition to on-time delivery and on-time pickup, claims-free shipment percentage, claims settled within 30 days, proof of delivery (POD) turnaround and invoicing accuracy. Saia is the only carrier in its class to publish a Customer Service Indicator index, making those numbers available to its customers. “Improved transit times are a direct result of the changes we will make by increasing our direct loading capabilities,” said Buchholz. “Direct loading means less handling of freight and will lead to continued improvement in our claims free percentage. What this means is faster, more reliable and greater service consistency on the freight we move across the points we serve in the southern portion of the United States,” she added. “Our goal is to provide a higher level of service and customer satisfaction, while increasing our sales,” said Albanese. “We believe this product will have great benefits for our customers, while at the same time provide many opportunities for us.” Saia Motor Freight is a 75-year-old regional LTL carrier covering twelve southern states from the Carolinas to Texas and services Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. Saia has more than 4,500 employees networking from 76 locations and providing service with partners to cover every major city in the U.S. For more information, contact 1-800-765-7242 or visit www.saiamotor.com.