Saia (SAIA) 8-K Saia, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2009 Results Revenues were $206 million, a decrease of 17% from prior year quarter

Exhibit 99.1

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Saia, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2009 Results
Revenues were $206 million, a decrease of 17% from prior year quarter

JOHNS CREEK, GA. — April 24, 2009 — Saia, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAIA), a leading multi-regional less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier, today reported first-quarter 2009 results.

First Quarter 2009 Results Compared to First Quarter 2008

• Revenues were $206.1 million, a decrease of 17 percent over the prior year quarter.

• Operating loss was $7.5 million compared to operating income of $2.0 million in the prior year quarter.

• Net loss per share was $0.47. Net loss per share in the prior year quarter was $0.06.

• Operating ratio was 103.6 vs. 99.2 in the prior year quarter.

• LTL tonnage per workday was down 7.2 percent from prior year as LTL shipments per workday were down 4.8 percent with a 2.6 percent reduction in weight per shipment.

• LTL yield was down 8.9 percent for the quarter primarily due to the decline in fuel surcharges.

First quarter margins declined primarily due to an unprecedented reduction in tonnage and increasing pricing pressure which more than offset the decline in fuel costs and benefits from recent expense reduction initiatives. These initiatives include the following:

• Streamline of our management structure by eliminating 1 division and 4 regions

• Headcount reduction of 11% from the prior year

• Productivity improvement in all categories — city, dock, office and load average

• Terminal labor cost improvement of 5% per freight bill

• Preventable accidents improvement of 17% and lost time injuries improvement of 40%

• Suspension of the 401(k) match effective February 1, 2009

Subsequently on April 1, 2009, the Company implemented a reduction in compensation equal to ten percent of salary for the leadership team and a five percent wage reduction for hourly, linehaul and salaried employees in operations, maintenance and administration. Historically, the Company’s first quarter is the weakest due to lower seasonality of demand and the potential for adverse weather. Therefore, we believe results of first quarter operations will not be indicative of full year results.

“We are operating during extremely difficult economic times with weak tonnage demand and increasingly competitive pricing which continues to pressure margins. We are combating this challenging environment with targeted sales and marketing programs and pursuing aggressive cost reductions supported by engineered efficiency initiatives"said Rick O’Dell, president and chief executive officer. “Our execution is solid on a number of fronts including improved performance over last year in on-time service, key productivity metrics and safety. We also continue to strengthen our balance sheet with a $20 million debt reduction during the quarter.”

Saia, Inc. First-Quarter 2009 Results
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“Saia remains committed to managing through these difficult times with a relentless focus on our strategy of building density in our network, customer satisfaction, engineered process improvements and prudent balance sheet management to achieve long-term benefits for our customers and shareholders,” O’Dell said.

Financial Position and Capital Expenditures

Total debt was $116.3 million at March 31, 2009. Net of the Company’s $12 million cash balance at quarter-end, net debt to total capital was 37.0 percent. This compares to total debt of $136.4 million at December 31, 2008.

Net capital expenditures for the first three months of 2009 were $2 million. This compares to $13 million in the prior year quarter. The Company is planning net capital expenditures in 2009 of approximately $10 million. This reduced level is due to the uncertain economic environment and will be reevaluated as tonnage improves.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss these results today at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To participate in the call, please dial 1-877-558-9192 or dial 706-758-1748 for international calls and using conference ID # 93981244. Callers should dial in five to 10 minutes in advance of the conference call. This call will be webcast live via the Company web site at www.saia.com and will be archived on the site. A replay of the call will be available two hours after the completion of the call through May 1, 2009. The replay is available by dialing 1-800-642-1687 or 706-645-9291.

The webcast is also being distributed through the Thomson StreetEvents Network. Individual investors can listen to the call at www.earnings.com, Thomson’s individual investor portal, powered by StreetEvents. Institutional investors can access the call via Thomson StreetEvents (www.streetevents.com), a password-protected event management site.

Saia, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAIA) is a less-than-truckload provider of regional, interregional and guaranteed services covering 34 states. With headquarters in Georgia and a network of 148 terminals, Saia employs 7,400 people. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section at www.saia.com.

The Securities and Exchange Commission encourages companies to disclose forward-looking information so that investors can better understand the future prospects of a company and make informed investment decisions. This news release contains these types of statements, which are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “believe,” “should” and similar words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements reflect the present expectation of future events of our management and are subject to a number of important factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements.

Saia, Inc. First-Quarter 2009 Results
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These factors and risks include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions including downturns in the business cycle; the creditworthiness of our customers and their ability to pay for services; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures, including in connection with fuel surcharge; the Company’s need for capital and uncertainty of the current credit markets; the possibility of defaults under the Company’s debt agreements (including violation of financial covenants); integration risks; indemnification obligations associated with the 2006 sale of Jevic Transportation, Inc.; the effect of ongoing litigation including class action lawsuits; cost and availability of qualified drivers, fuel, purchased transportation, property, revenue equipment and other operating assets; governmental regulations, including but not limited to Hours of Service, engine emissions, compliance with legislation requiring companies to evaluate their internal control over financial reporting, changes in interpretation of accounting principles and Homeland Security; dependence on key employees; inclement weather; labor relations; effectiveness of company-specific performance improvement initiatives; terrorism risks; self-insurance claims, equity-based compensation and other expense volatility; and other financial, operational and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings.

# # #

CONTACT: Saia, Inc.
Renée McKenzie, Treasurer
RMcKenzie@Saia.com
678.542.3910

Saia, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)

	March 31,			December 31,
	2009			2008
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	11,950		$	27,061
Accounts receivable, net		96,320			93,691
Prepaid expenses and other		43,146			35,282
Total current assets		151,416			156,034
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Cost		615,048			615,212
Less: accumulated depreciation		268,350			259,410
Net property and equipment		346,698			355,802
OTHER ASSETS		3,638			3,916
Total assets	$	501,752		$	515,752
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	$	48,539		$	46,572
Wages and employees’ benefits		38,511			28,148
Other current liabilities		43,078			43,262
Current portion of long-term debt		8,775			28,899
Total current liabilities		138,903			146,881
OTHER LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, less current portion		107,500			107,500
Deferred income taxes		50,584			50,584
Claims, insurance and other		27,152			27,215
Total other liabilities		185,236			185,299
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common stock		14			14
Additional paid-in capital		174,445			174,079
Deferred compensation trust		(2,793	)		(2,757	)
Retained earnings		5,947			12,236
Total shareholders’ equity		177,613			183,572
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	501,752		$	515,752

Saia, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the Quarters Ended March 31, 2009 and 2008
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

	First Quarter
	2009			2008
OPERATING REVENUE	$	206,102		$	249,329
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Salaries, wages and employees’ benefits		127,635			133,347
Purchased transportation		13,861			18,983
Fuel, operating expenses and supplies		45,486			66,474
Operating taxes and licenses		8,990			8,963
Claims and insurance		7,611			9,444
Depreciation and amortization		10,031			10,167
Operating gains, net		(59	)		(31	)
Total operating expenses		213,555			247,347
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)		(7,453	)		1,982
NONOPERATING EXPENSES:
Interest expense		2,802			3,186
Other, net		21			97
Nonoperating expenses, net		2,823			3,283
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		(10,276	)		(1,301	)
Income tax benefit		(3,987	)		(468	)
NET LOSS	$	(6,289	)	$	(833	)
Average common shares outstanding — basic		13,345			13,299
Average common shares outstanding — diluted		13,345			13,299
Basic loss per share	$	(0.47	)	$	(0.06	)
Diluted loss per share	$	(0.47	)	$	(0.06	)

Saia, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the Quarters Ended March 31, 2009 and 2008
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)

	2009			2008
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$	7,012		$	(360	)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment		(2,266	)		(13,530	)
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment		368			104
Net cash used in investing activities		(1,898	)		(13,426	)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from long-term debt		—			25,000
Repayment of long-term debt		(20,225	)		(12,538	)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(20,225	)		12,462
NET DECREASE IN CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS		(15,111	)		(1,324	)
CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD		27,061			6,656
CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD	$	11,950		$	5,332

Saia, Inc.
Financial Information
For the Quarters Ended March 31, 2009 and 2008
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)

									First Quarter
		First Quarter				%			Amount/Workday				%
		2009		2008		Change			2009		2008		Change
Workdays										63		64
Operating ratio			103.6		99.2
F/S Revenue	LTL		192,719		231,619		(16.8	)		3,059.0		3,619.0		(15.5	)
	TL		13,383		17,710		(24.4	)		212.4		276.7		(23.2	)
	Total		206,102		249,329		(17.3	)		3,271.5		3,895.8		(16.0	)
Revenue excluding	LTL		192,647		231,542		(16.8	)		3,057.9		3,617.8		(15.5	)
revenue recognition	TL		13,378		17,705		(24.4	)		212.4		276.6		(23.2	)
adjustment	Total		206,025		249,247		(17.3	)		3,270.2		3,894.5		(16.0	)
Tonnage	LTL		834		913		(8.6	)		13.24		14.27		(7.2	)
	TL		150		187		(19.8	)		2.38		2.92		(18.5	)
	Total		984		1,100		(10.5	)		15.62		17.19		(9.1	)
Shipments	LTL		1,550		1,653		(6.2	)		24.60		25.83		(4.8	)
	TL		21		25		(16.1	)		0.33		0.39		(14.8	)
	Total		1,571		1,678		(6.4	)		24.93		26.22		(4.9	)
Revenue/cwt.	LTL		11.55		12.68		(8.9	)
	TL		4.47		4.74		(5.7	)
	Total		10.47		11.33		(7.6	)
Revenue/shipment	LTL		124.29		140.05		(11.3	)
	TL		640.11		710.74		(9.9	)
	Total		131.15		148.52		(11.7	)
Pounds/shipment	LTL		1,076		1,105		(2.6	)
	TL		14,324		14,989		(4.4	)
	Total		1,253		1,311		(4.4	)