POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Richard D. O'Dell, Frederick J. Holzgrefe, III and
Stephanie R. Maschmeier, signing singly, the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
 capacity as an officer and/or director of Saia, Inc.  (the
"Company"), Forms ID, 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;
(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute
any such Form ID, 3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments
 thereto, and timely file such form with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and
(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions
as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of
any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with
full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power
of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned
acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the
Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and
effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms ID, 3, 4,
and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions
in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 28th day of July, 2017.

/s/ Craig A. Thompson
____________________________________
	Craig A. Thompson