Saia LTL local?

My buddy works there and he says it's pretty tiring and he's 29. I'm not saying don't do it, but I'm just telling u what he has said. Best of luck to you either way.

 

Saia is high volume p & d, like old dominion. Mostly pallet jack work from what ive heard. Lots of hustle and lots of hours...

 

Yes.
Because EVERYTHING is gonna be a fight. Adjusting trailer tandems, lifting roll-up doors and dock doors and manual dock plates. Pulling loaded pallets on and off the trailer with a pallet jack. All of it requires stressful shoulder work, and there's no getting around it.
Couple that with getting in and out of the truck all day long...and yes; it is extremely exhausting.

My LTL P&D experience lasted 9 months (at the age of 43 or 44), and in those 9 months (and I was in great shape yet) I was at the Chiropractor 6 times. The good thing about it was atleast the insurance was awesome and after the first visit at $36.00 the other 5 visits were only $3.00 each---and my hours sucked so bad, that I had plenty time in the morning to go to the doctor without missing work.

 

LTL p&d is really not that bad, I would just tell you is a different animal from otr, if you have patience to be in traffic and don't mind backing up 10 times a day which include blind side and unload the pallets and break them down. you would be a good fit for the company.

 

Might be a bit rough - especially with the shoulder surgeries. I remember ODFL asked a lot of questions about back and shoulder surgeries before hiring and made you undertake a 'worksteps' physical if there was any history.

Not impossible though - it's just more physical.

 

I've had a few friends that worked there.It's somewhat demanding,mostly dock to dock.You typically do 8 to 12 dock drops.Varies,but usually 1 to 3 pallets per stop.Usually routed very well.Some pallets are heavy 1200 to 2000 lbs.A lot of climbing in and out of truck.Were already at 26 times counting pre trip. I filled in for them a couple days.Yes,my ltl company "farmed me out" to them.Did the 12 drops in about 4 hours.20 minutes per stop,counting driving.Usually stops are close together.So,yes there is some hustling involved.Now,you're ready for part 2.Go around and pu 6 or 8 orders.Take these back to the terminal,where Rodney unloads them and makes sense of it all.Loads them up for next day routes.We used "pro stickers" on bills and pallets to keep track of who gets what.After squatting trailer at terminal,post trip and go home.I started late 9am and be done by 5 or 6pm.So,40 -45 hrs week.Start pay was $20.50 hr. $21.50 after few months.This was 8 years ago.So,if you can back into 20 docks a day and yank the 1200 lb skids off and climb in and out of truck 40 times a day,it's a pretty good job.JMO

 

Sounds like an easy way to stay in shape and keep the bills paid at the same time. I remember when I was shuttling trailers between the dropyard and the cheeseplant and actually dropping pants sizes due to consistent, in and out of the truck for 12 hours each night. Kick myself for jumping from that and into farm loading and now I'm trying to venture back into it.

As far as Saia goes, I've put in for both P&D as well as Linehaul with a few different terminals and still no dice.