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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Robinson Mark H   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) Vice President of IT (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               2,750 D

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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

6,860

02/03/2012

02/02/2016

Common Stock

6,860

$ 11.96

6,860

D

Phantom Stock

(3)

(1)

(2)

Common Stock

11,712.357

11,712.357 (3)

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 4.209

07/20/2004

07/20/2010

Common Stock

10,894

10,894

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 23

02/03/2008

02/02/2012

Common Stock

1,280

1,280

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 16.88

08/24/2008

08/24/2012

Common Stock

1,310

1,310

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 27.38

01/28/2009

01/27/2013

Common Stock

3,570

3,570

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 26.72

02/02/2010

02/01/2014

Common Stock

3,430

3,430

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 14.71

02/01/2011

01/31/2015

Common Stock

7,970

7,970

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Robinson Mark H 11465 JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY, SUITE 400 JOHNS CREEK, GA 30097			Vice President of IT

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 is 0.8536 resulting in 9,997.73 shares of common stock (underlying security in column 7).

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