diff --git a/cpp/src/io/csv/reader_impl.cu b/cpp/src/io/csv/reader_impl.cu
index 332e8aff7fc..76580122fe6 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/csv/reader_impl.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/io/csv/reader_impl.cu
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ table_with_metadata reader::impl::read(rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
         // during the conversion stage
         const std::string quotechar(1, opts.quotechar);
         const std::string dblquotechar(2, opts.quotechar);
-        std::unique_ptr<column> col = cudf::make_strings_column(out_buffers[i]._strings, stream);
+        std::unique_ptr<column> col = cudf::make_strings_column(*out_buffers[i]._strings, stream);
         out_columns.emplace_back(
           cudf::strings::replace(col->view(), dblquotechar, quotechar, -1, mr_));
       } else {
diff --git a/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.cu b/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.cu
index 80935e3fbd5..fe9e3bbcc25 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.cu
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
 #include <rmm/device_buffer.hpp>
-#include <rmm/device_vector.hpp>
+#include <rmm/device_uvector.hpp>
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <array>
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ rmm::device_buffer reader::impl::decompress_stripe_data(
   const OrcDecompressor *decompressor,
   std::vector<orc_stream_info> &stream_info,
   size_t num_stripes,
-  rmm::device_vector<gpu::RowGroup> &row_groups,
+  device_span<gpu::RowGroup> row_groups,
   size_t row_index_stride,
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
 {
@@ -254,9 +254,9 @@ rmm::device_buffer reader::impl::decompress_stripe_data(
   CUDF_EXPECTS(total_decomp_size > 0, "No decompressible data found");
 
   rmm::device_buffer decomp_data(total_decomp_size, stream);
-  rmm::device_vector<gpu_inflate_input_s> inflate_in(num_compressed_blocks +
-                                                     num_uncompressed_blocks);
-  rmm::device_vector<gpu_inflate_status_s> inflate_out(num_compressed_blocks);
+  rmm::device_uvector<gpu_inflate_input_s> inflate_in(
+    num_compressed_blocks + num_uncompressed_blocks, stream);
+  rmm::device_uvector<gpu_inflate_status_s> inflate_out(num_compressed_blocks, stream);
 
   // Parse again to populate the decompression input/output buffers
   size_t decomp_offset      = 0;
@@ -265,9 +265,9 @@ rmm::device_buffer reader::impl::decompress_stripe_data(
   for (size_t i = 0; i < compinfo.size(); ++i) {
     auto dst_base                 = static_cast<uint8_t *>(decomp_data.data());
     compinfo[i].uncompressed_data = dst_base + decomp_offset;
-    compinfo[i].decctl            = inflate_in.data().get() + start_pos;
-    compinfo[i].decstatus         = inflate_out.data().get() + start_pos;
-    compinfo[i].copyctl           = inflate_in.data().get() + start_pos_uncomp;
+    compinfo[i].decctl            = inflate_in.data() + start_pos;
+    compinfo[i].decstatus         = inflate_out.data() + start_pos;
+    compinfo[i].copyctl           = inflate_in.data() + start_pos_uncomp;
 
     stream_info[i].dst_pos = decomp_offset;
     decomp_offset += compinfo[i].max_uncompressed_size;
@@ -285,19 +285,18 @@ rmm::device_buffer reader::impl::decompress_stripe_data(
   if (num_compressed_blocks > 0) {
     switch (decompressor->GetKind()) {
       case orc::ZLIB:
-        CUDA_TRY(gpuinflate(
-          inflate_in.data().get(), inflate_out.data().get(), num_compressed_blocks, 0, stream));
+        CUDA_TRY(
+          gpuinflate(inflate_in.data(), inflate_out.data(), num_compressed_blocks, 0, stream));
         break;
       case orc::SNAPPY:
-        CUDA_TRY(gpu_unsnap(
-          inflate_in.data().get(), inflate_out.data().get(), num_compressed_blocks, stream));
+        CUDA_TRY(gpu_unsnap(inflate_in.data(), inflate_out.data(), num_compressed_blocks, stream));
         break;
       default: CUDF_EXPECTS(false, "Unexpected decompression dispatch"); break;
     }
   }
   if (num_uncompressed_blocks > 0) {
     CUDA_TRY(gpu_copy_uncompressed_blocks(
-      inflate_in.data().get() + num_compressed_blocks, num_uncompressed_blocks, stream));
+      inflate_in.data() + num_compressed_blocks, num_uncompressed_blocks, stream));
   }
   gpu::PostDecompressionReassemble(compinfo.device_ptr(), compinfo.size(), stream);
 
@@ -324,7 +323,7 @@ rmm::device_buffer reader::impl::decompress_stripe_data(
 
   if (not row_groups.empty()) {
     chunks.host_to_device(stream);
-    gpu::ParseRowGroupIndex(row_groups.data().get(),
+    gpu::ParseRowGroupIndex(row_groups.data(),
                             compinfo.device_ptr(),
                             chunks.device_ptr(),
                             num_columns,
@@ -341,8 +340,8 @@ void reader::impl::decode_stream_data(hostdevice_vector<gpu::ColumnDesc> &chunks
                                       size_t num_dicts,
                                       size_t skip_rows,
                                       size_t num_rows,
-                                      timezone_table const &tz_table,
-                                      const rmm::device_vector<gpu::RowGroup> &row_groups,
+                                      timezone_table_view tz_table,
+                                      device_span<gpu::RowGroup const> row_groups,
                                       size_t row_index_stride,
                                       std::vector<column_buffer> &out_buffers,
                                       rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
@@ -360,24 +359,19 @@ void reader::impl::decode_stream_data(hostdevice_vector<gpu::ColumnDesc> &chunks
   }
 
   // Allocate global dictionary for deserializing
-  rmm::device_vector<gpu::DictionaryEntry> global_dict(num_dicts);
+  rmm::device_uvector<gpu::DictionaryEntry> global_dict(num_dicts, stream);
 
   chunks.host_to_device(stream);
-  gpu::DecodeNullsAndStringDictionaries(chunks.device_ptr(),
-                                        global_dict.data().get(),
-                                        num_columns,
-                                        num_stripes,
-                                        num_rows,
-                                        skip_rows,
-                                        stream);
+  gpu::DecodeNullsAndStringDictionaries(
+    chunks.device_ptr(), global_dict.data(), num_columns, num_stripes, num_rows, skip_rows, stream);
   gpu::DecodeOrcColumnData(chunks.device_ptr(),
-                           global_dict.data().get(),
+                           global_dict.data(),
                            num_columns,
                            num_stripes,
                            num_rows,
                            skip_rows,
-                           tz_table.view(),
-                           row_groups.data().get(),
+                           tz_table,
+                           row_groups.data(),
                            row_groups.size() / num_columns,
                            row_index_stride,
                            stream);
@@ -550,7 +544,7 @@ table_with_metadata reader::impl::read(size_type skip_rows,
     // Process dataset chunk pages into output columns
     if (stripe_data.size() != 0) {
       // Setup row group descriptors if using indexes
-      rmm::device_vector<gpu::RowGroup> row_groups(num_rowgroups * num_columns);
+      rmm::device_uvector<gpu::RowGroup> row_groups(num_rowgroups * num_columns, stream);
       if (_metadata->ps.compression != orc::NONE) {
         auto decomp_data = decompress_stripe_data(chunks,
                                                   stripe_data,
@@ -563,9 +557,9 @@ table_with_metadata reader::impl::read(size_type skip_rows,
         stripe_data.clear();
         stripe_data.push_back(std::move(decomp_data));
       } else {
-        if (not row_groups.empty()) {
+        if (not row_groups.is_empty()) {
           chunks.host_to_device(stream);
-          gpu::ParseRowGroupIndex(row_groups.data().get(),
+          gpu::ParseRowGroupIndex(row_groups.data(),
                                   nullptr,
                                   chunks.device_ptr(),
                                   num_columns,
@@ -579,7 +573,7 @@ table_with_metadata reader::impl::read(size_type skip_rows,
       // Setup table for converting timestamp columns from local to UTC time
       auto const tz_table =
         _has_timestamp_column
-          ? build_timezone_transition_table(selected_stripes[0].second->writerTimezone)
+          ? build_timezone_transition_table(selected_stripes[0].second->writerTimezone, stream)
           : timezone_table{};
 
       std::vector<column_buffer> out_buffers;
@@ -598,7 +592,7 @@ table_with_metadata reader::impl::read(size_type skip_rows,
                          num_dict_entries,
                          skip_rows,
                          num_rows,
-                         tz_table,
+                         tz_table.view(),
                          row_groups,
                          _metadata->get_row_index_stride(),
                          out_buffers,
diff --git a/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.hpp b/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.hpp
index 818e70b15e7..3a2913c5548 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/io/orc/reader_impl.hpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class reader::impl {
                                             const OrcDecompressor *decompressor,
                                             std::vector<orc_stream_info> &stream_info,
                                             size_t num_stripes,
-                                            rmm::device_vector<gpu::RowGroup> &row_groups,
+                                            device_span<gpu::RowGroup> row_groups,
                                             size_t row_index_stride,
                                             rmm::cuda_stream_view stream);
 
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ class reader::impl {
                           size_t num_dicts,
                           size_t skip_rows,
                           size_t num_rows,
-                          timezone_table const &tz_table,
-                          const rmm::device_vector<gpu::RowGroup> &row_groups,
+                          timezone_table_view tz_table,
+                          device_span<gpu::RowGroup const> row_groups,
                           size_t row_index_stride,
                           std::vector<column_buffer> &out_buffers,
                           rmm::cuda_stream_view stream);
diff --git a/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cpp b/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cpp
index bf8b96b89dc..81ffa954c1a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cpp
@@ -374,7 +374,8 @@ static int64_t get_transition_time(dst_transition_s const &trans, int year)
   return trans.time + day * day_seconds;
 }
 
-timezone_table build_timezone_transition_table(std::string const &timezone_name)
+timezone_table build_timezone_transition_table(std::string const &timezone_name,
+                                               rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
 {
   if (timezone_name == "UTC" || timezone_name.empty()) {
     // Return an empty table for UTC
@@ -459,7 +460,22 @@ timezone_table build_timezone_transition_table(std::string const &timezone_name)
     year_timestamp += (365 + is_leap_year(year)) * day_seconds;
   }
 
-  return {get_gmt_offset(ttimes, offsets, orc_utc_offset), ttimes, offsets};
+  rmm::device_uvector<int64_t> d_ttimes{ttimes.size(), stream};
+  CUDA_TRY(cudaMemcpyAsync(d_ttimes.data(),
+                           ttimes.data(),
+                           ttimes.size() * sizeof(int64_t),
+                           cudaMemcpyDefault,
+                           stream.value()));
+  rmm::device_uvector<int32_t> d_offsets{offsets.size(), stream};
+  CUDA_TRY(cudaMemcpyAsync(d_offsets.data(),
+                           offsets.data(),
+                           offsets.size() * sizeof(int32_t),
+                           cudaMemcpyDefault,
+                           stream.value()));
+  auto const gmt_offset = get_gmt_offset(ttimes, offsets, orc_utc_offset);
+  stream.synchronize();
+
+  return {gmt_offset, std::move(d_ttimes), std::move(d_offsets)};
 }
 
 }  // namespace io
diff --git a/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cuh b/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cuh
index 3a87f28391c..b0231ca9e7d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/io/orc/timezone.cuh
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 #include <cudf/utilities/span.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/binary_search.h>
-#include <thrust/device_vector.h>
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
+#include <rmm/device_uvector.hpp>
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <string>
@@ -108,8 +108,15 @@ inline __device__ int32_t get_gmt_offset(cudf::device_span<int64_t const> ttimes
 
 struct timezone_table {
   int32_t gmt_offset = 0;
-  rmm::device_vector<int64_t> ttimes;
-  rmm::device_vector<int32_t> offsets;
+  rmm::device_uvector<int64_t> ttimes;
+  rmm::device_uvector<int32_t> offsets;
+  timezone_table() : ttimes{0, rmm::cuda_stream_default}, offsets{0, rmm::cuda_stream_default} {}
+  timezone_table(int32_t gmt_offset,
+                 rmm::device_uvector<int64_t> &&ttimes,
+                 rmm::device_uvector<int32_t> &&offsets)
+    : gmt_offset{gmt_offset}, ttimes{std::move(ttimes)}, offsets{std::move(offsets)}
+  {
+  }
   timezone_table_view view() const { return {gmt_offset, ttimes, offsets}; }
 };
 
@@ -119,10 +126,12 @@ struct timezone_table {
  * Uses system's TZif files. Assumes little-endian platform when parsing these files.
  *
  * @param timezone_name standard timezone name (for example, "US/Pacific")
+ * @param stream CUDA stream used for any device memory operations and kernel launches
  *
  * @return The transition table for the given timezone
  */
-timezone_table build_timezone_transition_table(std::string const &timezone_name);
+timezone_table build_timezone_transition_table(std::string const &timezone_name,
+                                               rmm::cuda_stream_view stream);
 
 }  // namespace io
 }  // namespace cudf
diff --git a/cpp/src/io/utilities/column_buffer.hpp b/cpp/src/io/utilities/column_buffer.hpp
index b4e26c042fb..88444d41206 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/utilities/column_buffer.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/io/utilities/column_buffer.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
 #include <rmm/device_buffer.hpp>
-#include <rmm/device_vector.hpp>
+#include <rmm/device_uvector.hpp>
 
 namespace cudf {
 namespace io {
@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@ struct column_buffer {
     size = _size;
 
     switch (type.id()) {
-      case type_id::STRING: _strings.resize(size); break;
+      case type_id::STRING:
+        _strings = std::make_unique<rmm::device_uvector<str_pair>>(size, stream);
+        cudaMemsetAsync(_strings->data(), 0, size * sizeof(str_pair), stream.value());
+        break;
 
       // list columns store a buffer of int32's as offsets to represent
       // their individual rows
@@ -125,8 +128,8 @@ struct column_buffer {
     }
   }
 
-  auto data() { return _strings.size() ? _strings.data().get() : _data.data(); }
-  auto data_size() { return std::max(_data.size(), _strings.size() * sizeof(str_pair)); }
+  auto data() { return _strings ? _strings->data() : _data.data(); }
+  auto data_size() const { return _strings ? _strings->size() : _data.size(); }
 
   template <typename T = uint32_t>
   auto null_mask()
@@ -137,7 +140,7 @@ struct column_buffer {
 
   auto& null_count() { return _null_count; }
 
-  rmm::device_vector<str_pair> _strings;
+  std::unique_ptr<rmm::device_uvector<str_pair>> _strings;
   rmm::device_buffer _data{};
   rmm::device_buffer _null_mask{};
   size_type _null_count{0};
@@ -178,7 +181,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<column> make_column(
         schema_info->children.push_back(column_name_info{"offsets"});
         schema_info->children.push_back(column_name_info{"chars"});
       }
-      return make_strings_column(buffer._strings, stream, mr);
+      return make_strings_column(*buffer._strings, stream, mr);
 
     case type_id::LIST: {
       // make offsets column