Scale and density are important in the LTL sector, so a wide terminal network is important. (Saiya Inc.)
key takeaways:
- Saaya founded Duluth, Minn. and Columbia, Mo. Opened terminals in, which are its fourth and fifth service centers since the beginning of 2026.
- The additional services bring Saya to 218 terminals, expanding Midwest capacity as the freight forwarder market continues to accelerate and scale remains important in LTL.
- Saya launched Saya REV on June 25 to improve transit times, logistics capabilities and shipment visibility, expanding the role of Saya Logistics.
Saya Inc. opened two terminals in the Midwest, its fourth and fifth service center added since early 2026, the less-than-truckload carrier said.
These increases are the latest phase of expansion of the carrier’s national network of terminals, particularly in the Midwest, an initiative that coincides with the ongoing boom in the freight market.
Johns Creek, Ga. SAYA now operates 218 terminals.
Saia’s Duluth, Minn., terminal opened in early June, and the Columbia, Mo., facility began operations the week beginning June 22.
“These additions reflect our ongoing commitment to strategically grow our footprint where customers need reliable service and capability most,” said Patrick Sugar, executive vice president of operations.
The carrier also opened terminals in Marysville, Washington and Edinburg, Ind., and a 74-door terminal in York, PA, in May.
Scale and density are important in the LTL sector, so a wide terminal network is important.
Carriers ranked in the top 10 of Transport Topics’ LTL sector rankings typically have more than 200 terminals, and the largest player in the segment, FedEx Freight, operates more than 350 terminals.
Terminals require a lot of land – not easy to find near metropolitan areas – and are expensive to build. Marysville, for example, is part of the Seattle metropolitan area.
However, a once-in-a-generation opportunity with the demise of Yellow Corp and its real estate being put up for sale offered a shortcut to accelerated network construction.
Saiya to open more than 20 terminals in 2024. The carrier won 17 facilities in the first auction of Yellow Service Centers for a total of $235.7 million. The carrier then won the most properties on offer in the second round of the auction by paying $7.92 million for 11 properties in seven western states.
Yellow filed for bankruptcy in August 2023. At the time Yellow sought court protection, it was the No. 3-ranked LTL player, owning 169 terminals and having leases for 149 others.
Saiya is ranked 17th on the TT Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America and 7th in the LTL segment, up from 9th in 2023.
The addition of terminals is visible in Saiya’s performance metrics. The carrier said on June 2 that in the first two months of the second quarter of 2026, the company’s LTL shipments per workday increased 4.6% year over year, while its tonnage per workday increased 7.6% compared with the same period in 2025.
Saaya is attempting to increase these metrics with an initiative launched on June 25 known as Saaya REV. The initiative focuses on faster transit times, expanded logistics capabilities and enhanced shipment visibility for customers.
Saiya Logistics’ role has also expanded following the rebranding of third-party logistics division LinkEx in January.
