Saia LTL Freight: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Saia was founded in 1924 in Houma, Louisiana, by Louis Saia Sr., a produce dealer who began hauling goods for customers using his own car with the rear seats removed before eventually building a dedicated trucking business. The company expanded across Louisiana and Texas over its first several decades and grew into one of the largest regional LTL carriers in the Southeast by the mid-1980s. The Saia family sold the company to Preston Trucking in 1987, and Saia later became part of Yellow Corporation before spinning off as part of the independent, publicly traded SCS Transportation in 2002, which was later renamed Saia, Inc. Saia is now headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, and trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker SAIA.

Over the decades, Saia has grown through both organic expansion and acquisitions, including the 2012 purchase of The Robart Companies, a non-asset truckload and logistics provider, and the 2015 acquisition of LinkEx, a Dallas-based third-party logistics company, which Saia has since rebranded as Saia Logistics. In 2024, Saia celebrated its 100th anniversary as a company. Today, Saia operates more than 200 terminals nationwide, employs over 14,500 people, and generates more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue, ranking among the top LTL carriers in the country.

Saia's workforce includes truck drivers who transport freight between terminals and to customer locations, dock workers who load and unload shipments, terminal managers, and logistics and customer service staff. Given the safety-sensitive nature of commercial trucking, driver qualifications and safety records are a central part of Saia's hiring process.

Company culture and employee programs: Saia has been recognized by industry groups, including the American Trucking Associations Safety Management Council, for its safety record, and the company emphasizes a long-term, relationship-driven approach with both customers and employees. Saia describes its workforce as central to its more than century-long history and growth. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary by role and terminal location, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the commercial trucking and logistics industry, including Saia, are legally required to conduct pre-employment background checks on driver candidates under federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, in addition to being permitted to screen other employees under standard employment law. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Saia is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is both standard practice and federally mandated for commercial truck drivers under DOT regulations, including reviews of driving history and prior employment with other DOT-regulated carriers.

The hiring process for driver positions at Saia typically includes an application, verification of commercial driver's license (CDL) qualifications, a review of driving and employment history, a DOT-mandated drug and alcohol screening, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records, including DOT-required employment history verifications, can be completed. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a commercial driving role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though DOT regulations require review of a commercial driver's employment and safety history going back at least three years, and certain driving record checks may cover a longer period depending on state law.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to a safety-sensitive commercial driving role. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates for driver roles can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, a valid commercial driver's license, and signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA and DOT requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Saia LTL Freight may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Saia LTL Freight or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.