Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ODELL RICHARD D
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SAIA INC [SAIA] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO of Saia
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
11465 JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY, SUITE 400		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/03/2009
(Street)

JOHNS CREEK, GA 30097		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               46,000 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 11.96 02/03/2009   A   22,400   02/03/2012 02/02/2016 Common Stock 22,400 $ 11.96 22,400 D  
Phantom Stock $ 0               (1)   (2) Common Stock 38,630.123   38,630.123 (3) D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 4.363             10/25/2002 10/25/2010 Common Stock 30,017   30,017 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 4.123             12/15/2002 12/15/2009 Common Stock 35,625   35,625 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 4.62             04/21/2003 04/21/2009 Common Stock 0   0 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 23             02/03/2008 02/02/2012 Common Stock 5,880   5,880 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 27.38             01/28/2009 01/27/2013 Common Stock 9,560   9,560 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 26.72             02/02/2010 02/01/2014 Common Stock 11,750   11,750 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 26.72             02/02/2010 02/01/2017 Common Stock 19,990   19,990 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 14.71             02/01/2011 01/31/2015 Common Stock 26,040   26,040 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ODELL RICHARD D
11465 JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY, SUITE 400
JOHNS CREEK, GA 30097		       President & CEO of Saia  

Signatures

 /s/ Stephanie R. Maschmeier   02/05/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Immediate
(2) The shares of phantom stock become payable, in stock, upon reporting person's termination of service as an employee, in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
(3) The conversion rate of this derivative security on February 3, 2009 in 0.8536 resulting in 32,974.88 shares of common stock (underlying security in column 7).

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