Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Oct. 26, 2020:
Saia opens new terminal in Memphis
Saia recently opened a new LTL cross-dock facility in Memphis, Tennessee, that the company says is 60% larger than its previous facility in the area.
The 200-door terminal includes an eight-bay maintenance facility and a high-speed fueling station. Saia will employ nearly 300 workers at the new terminal, which has the space to accommodate “a significant expansion over time,” the company notes.
“For the last several years, we’ve aggressively expanded our operations in the Northeast. Conversely, we’ve also remained just as committed to investing in our legacy markets and facilities,” says Paul Peck, Saia executive vice president of operations. “Our former Memphis terminal had exceeded its capacity. The additional doors at the new facility will mean less freight handling and more efficient shipping for our customers.”
This is the third Saia relocation in the last couple of months. The company recently moved its operations to new, larger facilities in Sherman and Wichita Falls, Texas. Earlier this year, it also moved its Las Vegas, Nevada terminal and this November, it will be moving its Green Bay, Wisconsin operations to a new facility as well.
Wyoming working to add winter truck parking for I-80 closures
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is working to bring additional winter truck parking and other safety improvements to I-80.
WYDOT’s I-80 Winter Freight project will bring nearly 100 new truck parking spaces to both the Fort Steele rest area about 7 miles east of Sinclair at milemarker 228 and the Quealy Done truck parking area 20 miles west of Laramie at milemarker 290, for almost 200 new spaces along the corridor.
“If weather conditions are poor or I-80 is closed, the new truck parking will provide additional options for truck drivers to park safely while they wait for conditions to improve,” said Tim Morton, WYDOT District 1 construction engineer.
Additionally, WYDOT is installing truck climbing lanes on two miles of I-80 eastbound over Halleck Ridge (about 8 miles west of Elk Mountain between milemarker 250.5 and 252.5) and about two miles of I-80 westbound between Cooper Cove and Quealy Dome (milemarker 279.5-281.5).
“Climbing lanes help with traffic flow, especially on inclines with steep grades,” Morton said. “They also help prevent secondary crashes when I-80 reopens after an extended road closure.”
Work on the multi-year project will begin around the Fort Steele rest area, which closed along with nine others in June as a cost-saving measure. The department said facilities and parking will remain closed during the project and asked that drivers not park on the on- and off-ramps, as it could impede work in the area. The rest area will reopen once the project is complete.
WYDOT projects the project will be completed in October 2022.
