Which is better. OD or SAIA?

I can't really comment on how P&D is at Saia other than hear say, which from what I understand can be alot of micro management depending on location, linehaul is pretty traditional here though, we don't have reship or freight reallocation centers like FedEx Freight or XPO, we pretty much just take trailers from one location to the next, no dock work unless you happen to have a TBU trailer or it's part of your bid run, my biggest hang up with Saia is the phone bluetooth thing, the cameras don't really bother me, just wish they would relent and let us use our phones.

 

They gave us 68mph, so we are using it, we are not going to sit behind someone doing 66mph, with that said I do make the effort to go back to the right lane if I see another truck coming up behind me that obviously has more nuts so I don't hold them up, even with the extra 2mph it can still be a ##### getting around someone at 66mph.

 

Depending on your run tractor speeds at OD are set at 65, 68 or 70mph

 

If it were me Route C, I would go to OD, take it from someone who works at Saia, OD puts way more trust and confidence into their drivers, they don't have cameras on them, they don't constantly hover over them with coaching sessions, and they still believe that their drivers can shift a 10 speed, you won't see that at Saia, seriously if you want to be babysitted, drive a automatic and work with morons but still make good money and bennies come to Saia, but if want to work for someone who actually trust you and for the most part leaves you the #### alone and also make good money and bennies go with OD, hate to put it that way, but I have seen alot here at Saia that has changed my attitude towards them, and no matter how good you do or want to do for them it wont matter, Saia is one of those jobs that the best thing to do is to go in keep your mouth shut make your money and go home, and just let management and the higher ups to continue to let Rome burn.

 

I feel the same way. I’d personally go to OD especially city. OD is driver friendly. Saia will always hire you they need drivers if you need a good paying job. The Cam keeps them from ever getting fully staffed. There’s too much BS vs OD. Yes you can make a career at Saia and they pay one of the best in the industry but right now there is less BS at OD.

There’s no pats on the back here. My buddy was doing 3k+ miles a week 6 days worked weekends Still got put on a final. He left but is now coming back as a rehire. He didn’t give a notice either but cause they need drivers they looked past it. So this job will always be there. They’ll always need drivers.

 

Yeah I didn't really enjoy writing that, but I felt something needed to be said, the sad thing is Saia is a good company overall, but it could be so much better if some of the idealist in the hierarchy were given their walking papers, just my opinion though.

 

Yup. Saia could be on the same level as OD if they left the cam alone. Or allowed Bluetooth. My last company Mclane had drive cams. They used them properly. Only for accidents or if you happened to set it off and had your phone to your ear or driving on the street without a seatbelt you get wrote up. Which I think you should get written up. Which is how it should be used. Saia trying to enforce their own laws. These are people that have never driven a truck. They look at statistics only. They have less accidents and are making profit and that’s all they look at. It won’t change. It’s all on the descretion of the TM to write you up or look away. I know personally a terminal that operates pretty freely. Cause that TM knows it’s BS. His drivers drive hard for him and because he doesn’t do it the Saia way. If Saia did this across the board we would be in the mix with OD. But it’s a pipe dream. Won’t ever happen here. I’m here until I get a final then that’s my sign to punch out and hand my in my keys. I use my Bluetooth tooth whenever I want to. So someday they’ll catch me. But I’m pretty sly as a fox right now. I won’t work on a final too stressful. Plus if I happened to get fired for using Bluetooth the next company will probably laugh cause other companies are Bluetooth friendly. As long as I keep my driving record clean I’ll be at Estes or OD probably next week if it ever came down that way.

 

That's exactly where I am at man, and I really didn't want it to be that way, but unfortunately it's come to that.

 

Oh one thing I forgot, OP if you do choose to work for Saia, I highly recommend that you do the wellness check up every year, if you don't you will be slapped with what they call a wellness surcharge (although I call it a penalty), basically they want you and your spouse to get a physical check up with your primary care doctor and a blood test, if you don't, you will get a $37.00 a week deduction on your paycheck in addition to the weekly medical and dental deduction and at 52 weeks a year that amounts to just shy of $2000 a year just thrown away, just letting you know.

 

Lol "wellness check" taxed weekly.

Sounds like at least one of these companies is ran by a bunch of communists. Or are we supposed to still pretend that they're democrats?