Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX) 10-Q 1 Nov 16 2016 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Oct. 25, 2016
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2016
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Trading Symbol	SWFT
Entity Registrant Name	SWIFT TRANSPORTATION Co
Entity Central Index Key	1,492,691
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		82,629,985
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		49,741,938

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Un

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 71,258	$ 107,590
Cash and cash equivalents – restricted		59,487	55,241
Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost	[1]	22,864	23,215
Accounts receivable, net		403,895	422,421
Income tax refund receivable		9,987	11,664
Inventories and supplies		16,264	18,426
Assets held for sale		11,830	9,084
Prepaid taxes, licenses, insurance, and other		50,669	48,149
Current portion of notes receivable		7,668	9,817
Total current assets		653,922	705,607
Property and equipment, at cost:
Revenue and service equipment		2,233,507	2,278,618
Land		131,693	131,693
Facilities and improvements		278,291	269,769
Furniture and office equipment		110,996	99,519
Total property and equipment		2,754,487	2,779,599
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization		(1,200,613)	(1,128,499)
Net property and equipment		1,553,874	1,651,100
Other assets		22,664	26,585
Intangible assets, net		270,508	283,119
Goodwill		253,256	253,256
Total assets		2,754,224	2,919,667
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		138,087	121,827
Accrued liabilities		132,918	97,313
Current portion of claims accruals		78,478	84,429
Current portion of long-term debt		799	35,514
Current portion of capital lease obligations		71,988	59,794
Total current liabilities		422,270	398,877
Revolving line of credit	[2],[3]	50,000	200,000
Long-term debt, less current portion		593,263	643,663
Capital lease obligations, less current portion		176,871	222,001
Claims accruals, less current portion		155,317	149,281
Deferred income taxes		438,369	463,832
Accounts receivable securitization		299,196	223,927
Other liabilities		6,699	959
Total liabilities		2,141,985	2,302,540
Commitments and Contingencies (Notes 9 and 10)
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock		0	0
Class A common stock		826	878
Class B common stock		497	510
Additional paid-in capital		690,317	754,589
Accumulated deficit		(79,503)	(139,033)
Accumulated other comprehensive income		0	81
Noncontrolling interest		102	102
Total stockholders’ equity		612,239	617,127
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity		$ 2,754,224	$ 2,919,667
Preferred stock, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized		10,000,000	10,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued		0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding		0	0
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Stockholders’ equity:
Total stockholders’ equity		$ 826	$ 878
Common stock, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized		500,000,000	500,000,000
Common stock, shares issued		82,615,248	87,808,801
Common stock, shares outstanding		82,615,248	87,808,801
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Stockholders’ equity:
Total stockholders’ equity		$ 497	$ 510
Common stock, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized		250,000,000	250,000,000
Common stock, shares issued		49,741,938	50,991,938
Common stock, shares outstanding		49,741,938	50,991,938
Common stock, shares outstanding		49,741,938	50,991,938
[1]	Restricted investments are included in "Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost."
[2]	Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of long-term debt.
[3]	The Company additionally had outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers' compensation and self-insurance liabilities of $97.0 million and $95.0 million under the New Revolver at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Consolidated Income Statements

Consolidated Income Statements (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Operating revenue:
Revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue	$ 929,732	$ 954,974	$ 2,772,054	$ 2,785,737
Fuel surcharge revenue	83,494	109,999	220,849	353,784
Operating revenue	1,013,226	1,064,973	2,992,903	3,139,521
Operating expenses:
Salaries, wages, and employee benefits	293,098	283,767	868,831	821,747
Operating supplies and expenses	113,750	102,719	291,185	288,070
Fuel	90,464	103,023	252,822	326,598
Purchased transportation	280,041	299,866	830,952	883,354
Rental expense	57,004	59,088	170,326	180,909
Insurance and claims	47,372	52,877	140,888	139,390
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	67,245	66,852	198,884	184,194
Amortization of intangibles	4,204	4,204	12,611	12,611
Gain on disposal of property and equipment	(5,620)	(9,825)	(16,909)	(23,987)
Communication and utilities	7,130	8,236	20,977	23,134
Operating taxes and licenses	18,685	19,245	55,795	55,104
Total operating expenses	973,373	990,052	2,826,362	2,891,124
Operating income	39,853	74,921	166,541	248,397
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense	7,384	9,130	23,545	29,627
Derivative interest expense	0	68	0	3,972
Interest income	(624)	(647)	(2,011)	(1,825)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	9,567	0	9,567
Non-cash impairments of non-operating assets	0	0	0	1,480
Legal settlements and reserves	0	0	3,000	6,000
Other income, net	(1,223)	(752)	(3,093)	(2,341)
Total other expenses (income), net	5,537	17,366	21,441	46,480
Income before income taxes	34,316	57,555	145,100	201,917
Income tax expense	10,292	21,274	46,275	76,842
Net income	$ 24,024	$ 36,281	$ 98,825	$ 125,075
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.18	$ 0.25	$ 0.73	$ 0.88
Diluted earnings per share	$ 0.18	$ 0.25	$ 0.73	$ 0.87
Shares used in per share calculations
Basic	132,930	142,801	134,622	142,535
Diluted	134,462	144,132	136,227	144,238

Consolidated Statements Of Comp

Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 24,024	$ 36,281	$ 98,825	$ 125,075
Accumulated losses on derivatives reclassified to derivative interest expense	0	69	0	3,886
Other	0	0	(81)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income taxes	0	69	(81)	3,886
Income tax effect of items within other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	(1,469)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes	0	69	(81)	2,417
Total comprehensive income	$ 24,024	$ 36,350	$ 98,744	$ 127,492

Consolidated Statement Of Stock

Consolidated Statement Of Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) - 9 months ended Sep. 30, 2016 - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Class A Common Stock [Member]	Class B Common Stock [Member]
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015						87,808,801	50,991,938
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 617,127	$ 754,589	$ (139,033)	$ 81	$ 102	$ 878	$ 510
Common stock issued under stock plans, shares						785,416
Common stock issued under stock plans, value	5,175	5,167				$ 8
Stock-based compensation expense	4,691	4,691
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	547	547
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan, shares						63,941
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan, value	$ 955	955				$ 0
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, shares	(7,293,000)					(7,292,910)
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, value	$ (115,000)	(75,632)	(39,295)			$ (73)
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock, shares						1,250,000	(1,250,000)
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock, value	0					$ 13	$ (13)
Net income	98,825		98,825
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes	(81)			(81)
Ending balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2016						82,615,248	49,741,938
Ending balance, value at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 612,239	$ 690,317	$ (79,503)	$ 0	$ 102	$ 826	$ 497

Consolidated Statements Of Cash

Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 98,825	$ 125,075
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment, and intangibles	211,495	196,805
Amortization Of Debt Issuance Costs Original Issue Discount And Losses On Terminated Swaps	996	5,574
Gain on disposal of property and equipment, less write-off of totaled tractors	(14,797)	(21,974)
Impairments	0	1,480
Deferred income taxes	(25,670)	(8,106)
Provision for (reduction of) losses on accounts receivable	(2,626)	5,348
Non-cash loss on debt extinguishment and write-offs of deferred financing costs and original issue discount	0	9,567
Stock-based compensation expense	4,691	4,618
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	(547)	(2,200)
Income effect of mark-to-market adjustment of interest rate swaps	0	87
Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in:
Accounts receivable	21,152	25,328
Inventories and supplies	2,162	(102)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(843)	(1,197)
Other assets	2,682	6,583
Accounts payable, and accrued and other liabilities	31,313	10,336
Net cash provided by operating activities	328,833	357,222
Cash flows from investing activities:
Increase in cash and cash equivalents – restricted	(4,246)	(12,832)
Proceeds from maturities of investments	23,869	23,965
Purchases of investments	(23,737)	(22,710)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	96,228	76,545
Capital expenditures	(141,269)	(260,858)
Payments received on notes receivable	4,763	3,137
Expenditures on assets held for sale	(24,784)	(19,777)
Payments received on assets held for sale	18,459	8,019
Payments received on equipment sale receivables	0	293
Net cash used in investing activities	(50,717)	(204,218)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of long-term debt and capital leases	(131,125)	(954,561)
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	684,504
Net (repayments) borrowings on revolving line of credit	(150,000)	143,000
Borrowings under accounts receivable securitization	100,000	65,000
Repayment of accounts receivable securitization	(25,000)	(149,000)
Payment of deferred loan costs	0	(3,240)
Proceeds from common stock issued	6,130	7,667
Repurchases of Class A common stock	(115,000)	0
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	547	2,200
Net cash used in financing activities	(314,448)	(204,430)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(36,332)	(51,426)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	107,590	105,132
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	71,258	53,706
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest	22,818	37,254
Income taxes	67,058	77,335
Non-cash investing activities:
Equipment purchase accrual	29,813	11,801
Notes receivable from sale of assets	1,416	5,618
Equipment sales receivables	0	5
Non-cash financing activities:
Capital lease additions	12,811	142,937
Accrued deferred loan costs	$ 0	$ 250

Introduction and Basis Of Prese

Introduction and Basis Of Presentation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Introduction and Basis Of Presentation	Introduction and Basis of Presentation Certain acronyms and terms used throughout this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are specific to our company, commonly used in our industry, or are otherwise frequently used throughout our document. Definitions for these acronyms and terms are provided in the "Glossary of Terms," available in the front of this document. Description of Business Swift is a transportation solutions provider, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. As of September 30, 2016 , the Company's fleet of revenue equipment included 19,157 tractors (comprised of 14,380 company tractors and 4,777 owner-operator tractors), 62,727 trailers, and 9,131 intermodal containers. The Company’s four reportable segments are Truckload, Dedicated, Swift Refrigerated, and Intermodal. Seasonality In the truckload industry, results of operations generally show a seasonal pattern. As customers ramp up for the year-end holiday season, the late third quarter and fourth quarter have historically been the Company's strongest volume periods. As customers reduce shipments after the winter holiday season, the first quarter has historically been a lower-volume quarter than the other three quarters. In recent years, the macro consumer buying patterns combined with shippers’ supply chain management, which historically contributed to the fourth quarter "peak" season, continued to evolve. As a result, the Company's fourth quarter 2015, 2014, and 2013 volumes were more evenly distributed throughout the quarter, rather than peaking early in the quarter. In the eastern and mid-western United States, and to a lesser extent in the western United States, the Company's equipment utilization typically declines and operating expenses generally increase during the winter season. This tends to be attributed to declines in fuel efficiency from engine idling and increases in accident frequency, claims, and equipment repairs from severe weather. The Company's revenue is directly related to shippers' available working days. As such, curtailed operations and vacation shutdowns around the holidays may affect the Company's revenue. From time to time, the Company also suffers short-term impacts from severe weather and similar events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, and explosions that could add volatility to, or harm, the Company's results of operations. Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 . The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Swift Transportation Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. In management's opinion, these consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP and include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the periods presented. Change in Accounting Estimate In August 2016, the Company decreased the estimated residual values of a certain group of its tractors, given recent trends in the used tractor market. Management prospectively accounted for this as a change in accounting estimate. This increased "Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment" in the consolidated income statements by approximately $3.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, which immaterially affected basic and diluted earnings per share. Change in Presentation In April 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs , which amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest. The amendments in this ASU simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs and align the presentation with debt discounts. Entities are required to present debt issuance costs within liabilities as a direct deduction from the face amount of the related debt, rather than as a deferred charge within assets. In August 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements – Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting (SEC Update) , which also amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest . The SEC determined that ASU 2015-03 (discussed above) did not address costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The amendments in ASU 2015-15 clarify that entities may defer and present debt issuance costs as an asset, and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The amendments in these ASUs require retrospective application, with related disclosures for a change in accounting principle. For public business entities, the amendments in these ASUs are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and the interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) — CONTINUED The Company adopted this guidance at the beginning of 2016. Accordingly, DLCs, except for those associated with the Company’s New Revolver, are presented as direct deductions from the face amount of the related debt. The Company retrospectively adjusted the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet to align with the current period presentation, as follows: December 31, 2015 Financial Statement Caption Unadjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet Reclassification Adjustments Adjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet (In thousands) ASSETS: Other assets $ 29,353 $ (2,768 ) $ 26,585 LIABILITIES: Current portion of long-term debt $ 35,582 $ (68 ) $ 35,514 Long-term debt, less current portion 645,290 (1,627 ) 643,663 Accounts receivable securitization 225,000 (1,073 ) 223,927

Recently Issued Accounting Pron

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements The following table presents accounting pronouncements recently issued by FASB, but not yet adopted by the Company. Date Issued Reference Description Expected Adoption Date and Method Financial Statement Impact August 2016 2016-15: Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) – Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments This ASU has several amendments, which are designed to reduce existing diversity in practice of how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The ASU addresses eight specific cash flow issues, of which the following are expected to be applicable to Swift: 1) debt prepayment and extinguishment costs, 2) proceeds from settlement of insurance claims, 3) proceeds from settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, 4) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and 5) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. January 2018, Retrospective Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material. June 2016 2016-13: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) – Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments The purpose of this ASU is to amend the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a new methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. This is the final credit accounting standard, out of a series, with detailed guidance on the new loss reserve model, Current Expected Credit Loss ("CECL"). Among other provisions, the amendments in the ASU require a financial asset (or group of assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Entities are no longer required to wait until a loss is probable to record it. January 2020, Adoption method varies by amendment Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material. May 2016 2016-12: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Narrow-scope Improvements and Practical Expedients The amendments in this ASU clarify certain aspects regarding the collectibility criterion, sales taxes collected from customers, noncash consideration, contract modifications, and completed contracts at transition. It additionally clarifies that retrospective application only requires disclosure of the accounting change effect on prior periods presented, not on the period of adoption. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. Date Issued Reference Description Expected Adoption Date and Method Financial Statement Impact April 2016 2016-10: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing The amendments in this ASU clarify the following two aspects of Topic 606: identifying performance obligations and the licensing implementation guidance, while retaining the related principles for those areas. The amendments do not change the core principle of the guidance. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. March 2016 2016-08: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) The amendments in this ASU are intended to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, but do not change the core principle of the guidance. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. March 2016 2016-09: Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718) – Improvements to Employee Share-based Payment Accounting The amendments in this ASU are intended to simplify various aspects of accounting for stock-based compensation, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as equity or liability, as well as classification of activities within the statement of cash flows. January 2017, Adoption method varies by amendment Currently under evaluation; not yet quantifiable. February 2016 2016-02: Leases (Topic 842) The new standard requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising from both operating and financing leases on the balance sheet. Lessor accounting for leases is largely unaffected by the new guidance. January 2019, Modified retrospective Currently under evaluation; expected to be material, but not yet quantifiable. January 2016 2016-01: Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10) – Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities The amendments in this ASU address various aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. They additionally establish ASC Topic 321 – Investments – Equity Securities , which applies to investments in equity securities and other ownership interests in an entity, including investments in partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, and limited liability companies. January 2018, Modified retrospective Not expected to be material.

Restricted Investments

Restricted Investments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Schedule of Investments [Abstract]
Restricted Investments	Restricted Investments The following table presents the cost or amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and temporary losses, and estimated fair value of the Company’s restricted investments: September 30, 2016 Gross Unrealized Cost or Amortized Gains Temporary Estimated Fair Value (In thousands) United States corporate securities $ 16,483 $ 1 $ (8 ) $ 16,476 Municipal bonds 4,956 — (6 ) 4,950 Negotiable certificate of deposits 1,425 — — 1,425 Restricted investments, held to maturity $ 22,864 $ 1 $ (14 ) $ 22,851 December 31, 2015 Gross Unrealized Cost or Amortized Gains Temporary Estimated Fair Value (In thousands) United States corporate securities $ 16,686 $ 2 $ (27 ) $ 16,661 Municipal bonds 4,904 1 (1 ) 4,904 Negotiable certificate of deposits 1,625 — — 1,625 Restricted investments, held to maturity $ 23,215 $ 3 $ (28 ) $ 23,190 Refer to Note 15 for additional information regarding fair value measurements of restricted investments. As of September 30, 2016 , the contractual maturities of the restricted investments were one year or less. There were 44 securities and 36 securities that were in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. The Company did not recognize any impairment losses for the three or nine months ended September 30, 2016 or 2015 .

Goodwill and Other Intangible A

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets There were no goodwill impairments recorded during the three or nine months ended September 30, 2016 or 2015 . Other intangible asset balances were as follows: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) Customer Relationships: Gross carrying value $ 275,324 $ 275,324 Accumulated amortization (185,853 ) (173,242 ) Customer relationships, net 89,471 102,082 Trade Name: Gross carrying value 181,037 181,037 Intangible assets, net $ 270,508 $ 283,119 The following table presents amortization of intangible assets related to the 2007 Transactions and intangible assets existing prior to the 2007 Transactions: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Amortization of intangible assets related to the 2007 Transactions $ 3,912 $ 3,912 $ 11,736 $ 11,736 Amortization related to intangible assets existing prior to the 2007 Transactions 292 292 875 875 Amortization of intangibles $ 4,204 $ 4,204 $ 12,611 $ 12,611

Accounts Receivable Securitizat

Accounts Receivable Securitization	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Transfers and Servicing [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable Securitization	Accounts Receivable Securitization On December 10, 2015, SRCII, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into the 2015 RSA, which further amended the 2013 RSA. The parties to the 2015 RSA include SRCII as the seller, Swift Transportation Services, LLC as the servicer, the various conduit purchasers, the various related committed purchasers, the various purchaser agents, the various letters of credit participants, and PNC Bank, National Association as the issuing bank of letters of credit and as administrator. Pursuant to the 2015 RSA, the Company's receivable originator subsidiaries sell, on a revolving basis, undivided interests in all of their eligible accounts receivable to SRCII. In turn, SRCII sells a variable percentage ownership interest in the eligible accounts receivable to the various purchasers. The facility qualifies for treatment as a secured borrowing under ASC Topic 860, Transfers and Servicing. As such, outstanding amounts are classified as liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of the 2015 RSA. As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , interest accrued on the aggregate principal balance at a rate of 1.1% and 1.0% , respectively. Program fees and unused commitment fees are recorded in interest expense in the Company's consolidated income statements. The Company incurred program fees of $1.2 million related to the 2015 RSA and $0.8 million related to the 2013 RSA, during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company incurred program fees of $3.1 million related to the 2015 RSA and $2.7 million related to the 2013 RSA, during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The 2015 RSA is subject to customary fees and contains various customary affirmative and negative covenants, representations and warranties, and default and termination provisions. Collections on the underlying receivables by the Company are held for the benefit of SRCII and the Purchasers in the facility and are unavailable to satisfy claims of the Company and its subsidiaries.

Debt And Financing

Debt And Financing	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt And Financing	Debt and Financing Other than the Company’s accounts receivable securitization, as discussed in Note 5, and its outstanding capital lease obligations as discussed in Note 8, the Company's long-term debt consisted of the following: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) 2015 Agreement: New Term Loan A, due July 2020, net of $1,431 and $1,695 DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively (1) $ 592,819 $ 668,055 Other 1,243 11,122 Long-term debt 594,062 679,177 Less: current portion of long-term debt, net of $0 and $68 DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively (799 ) (35,514 ) Long-term debt, less current portion $ 593,263 $ 643,663 September 30, December 31, (In thousands) Long-term debt $ 594,062 $ 679,177 Revolving line of credit, due July 2020 (1) (2) 50,000 200,000 Long-term debt, including revolving line of credit $ 644,062 $ 879,177 ____________ (1) Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of long-term debt. (2) The Company additionally had outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers' compensation and self-insurance liabilities of $97.0 million and $95.0 million under the New Revolver at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. Credit Agreement On July 27, 2015, the Company entered into the 2015 Agreement, which replaced the 2014 Agreement, including the $450.0 million Old Revolver ( zero outstanding at closing), $500.0 million Old Term Loan A ( $485.0 million outstanding at closing), and $400.0 million Term Loan B ( $395.0 million outstanding at closing). The 2015 Agreement includes a New Revolver and a New Term Loan A. Upon closing, the $680.0 million in proceeds from the New Term Loan A, a $200.0 million draw on the New Revolver, and $4.9 million cash on hand were used to pay off the then-outstanding balances of the Old Term Loan A and Term Loan B, including accrued interest and fees under the 2014 Agreement, as well as certain transactional fees associated with the 2015 Agreement. The following table presents the key terms of the 2015 Agreement: Description New Term Loan A New Revolver (2) (Dollars in thousands) Maximum borrowing capacity $680,000 $600,000 Final maturity date July 27, 2020 July 27, 2020 Interest rate base LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR floor —% —% Interest rate minimum margin (1) 1.50% 1.50% Interest rate maximum margin (1) 2.25% 2.25% Minimum principal payment – amount (3) $6,625 $— Minimum principal payment – frequency Quarterly Once Minimum principal payment – commencement date (3) December 31, July 27, ____________ (1) The interest rate margin for the New Term Loan A and New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio. As of September 30, 2016 , interest accrued at 2.03% on the New Term Loan A and 2.03% on the New Revolver. As of December 31, 2015, interest accrued at 2.12% on the New Term Loan A and 2.08% on the New Revolver. (2) The commitment fee for the unused portion of the New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio and ranges from 0.25% to 0.35% . As of September 30, 2016 , commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.50% . As of December 31, 2015, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.75% . (3) Commencing in March 2017, the minimum quarterly payment amount on the New Term Loan A is $12.3 million , at which it remains until final maturity. The New Revolver and New Term Loan A of the 2015 Agreement contain certain financial covenants with respect to a maximum leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated interest coverage ratio. The 2015 Agreement provides flexibility regarding the use of proceeds from asset sales, payment of dividends, stock repurchases, and equipment financing. In addition to the financial covenants, the 2015 Agreement includes customary events of default, including a change in control default and certain affirmative and negative covenants, including, but not limited to, restrictions, subject to certain exceptions, on incremental indebtedness, asset sales, certain restricted payments (including dividends and stock repurchases), certain incremental investments or advances, transactions with affiliates, engagement in additional business activities, and prepayment of certain other indebtedness. Borrowings under the 2015 Agreement are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and are guaranteed by Swift Transportation Company, IEL, Central Refrigerated Transportation, LLC and its subsidiaries, Swift Transportation Co., LLC and its domestic subsidiaries (other than its captive insurance subsidiaries, driver academy subsidiary, and its bankruptcy-remote special purpose subsidiary). Loss on Debt Extinguishment The Company incurred no losses on debt extinguishment during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 . During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 , the Company incurred $9.6 million in losses on debt extinguishment reflecting the write-off of the unamortized OID and deferred financing fees related to the 2014 Agreement, which was replaced by the 2015 Agreement.

Deferred Loan Costs

Deferred Loan Costs	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Issuance Costs, Net [Abstract]
Deferred Loan Costs	Deferred Loan Costs As discussed in Note 1, DLCs related to the Company's New Term Loan A and accounts receivable securitization are now netted against the face amount of the debt, pursuant to the amendments in ASU 2015-03. DLCs related to the New Revolver are reported in "Other assets." The following table presents the classification of DLCs in the Company's consolidated balance sheets: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) ASSETS: Other assets $ 1,251 $ 1,496 LIABILITIES: Current portion of long-term debt — 68 Long-term debt, less current portion 1,431 1,627 Accounts receivable securitization 804 1,073 Total DLCs $ 3,486 $ 4,264

Leases

Leases	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Leases [Abstract]
Leases	Leases The Company finances a portion of its revenue equipment under capital and operating leases and certain terminals under operating leases. Capital Leases (as Lessee) — The Company’s capital leases are typically structured with balloon payments at the end of the lease term equal to the residual value the Company is contracted to receive from certain equipment manufacturers upon sale or trade back to the manufacturers. If the Company does not receive proceeds of the contracted residual value from the manufacturer, the Company is still obligated to make the balloon payment at the end of the lease term. Certain leases contain renewal or fixed price purchase options. The present value of obligations under capital leases is included under "Current portion of capital lease obligations" and "Capital lease obligations, less current portion" in the consolidated balance sheets. As of September 30, 2016 , the leases were collateralized by revenue equipment with a cost of $326.2 million and accumulated amortization of $91.5 million . As of December 31, 2015 , the leases were collateralized by revenue equipment with a cost of $357.8 million and accumulated amortization of $90.1 million . Amortization of the equipment under capital leases is included in "Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment" in the Company’s consolidated income statements. Operating Leases (as Lessee) — Rent expense related to operating leases was $57.0 million and $59.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Rent expense related to operating leases was $170.3 million and $180.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Purchase Commitments

Purchase Commitments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Long-term Commitment (Excluding Unconditional Purchase Obligation) [Abstract]
Purchase Commitments	Purchase Commitments As of September 30, 2016 , the Company's outstanding commitments to acquire revenue equipment were as follows: • remainder of 2016 : $174.3 million ( $103.2 million of which were tractor commitments), • year-ended December 31, 2017: $190.9 million ( $190.9 million of which were tractor commitments), and • thereafter: none . The Company has the option to cancel tractor purchase orders with 60 to 90 days' notice prior to the scheduled production, although the notice period has lapsed for 35.1% of the tractor commitments outstanding as of September 30, 2016 . These purchases are expected to be financed by the combination of operating leases, capital leases, debt, proceeds from sales of existing equipment, and cash flows from operations. As of September 30, 2016 , the Company had $0.3 million in outstanding purchase commitments for non-revenue equipment and no purchase commitments for facilities. Factors such as costs and opportunities for future terminal expansions may change the amount of such expenditures.

Contingencies and Legal Proceed

Contingencies and Legal Proceedings	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies and Legal Proceedings	Contingencies and Legal Proceedings The Company is involved in certain claims and pending litigation primarily arising in the normal course of business. The majority of these claims relate to workers' compensation, auto collision and liability, physical damage, and cargo damage. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred and accrues for the uninsured portion of contingent losses from these and other pending claims when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Based on the knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, advice of outside counsel, management believes the resolution of claims and pending litigation, taking into account existing reserves, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company. Moreover, the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict and the Company’s view of these matters may change in the future as the litigation and events related thereto unfold. For certain cases described below, management is unable to provide a meaningful estimate of the possible loss or range of loss because, among other reasons, (1) the proceedings are in various stages that do not allow for assessment; (2) damages have not been sought; (3) damages are unsupported and/or exaggerated; (4) there is uncertainty as to the outcome of pending appeals; and/or (5) there are significant factual issues to be resolved. For these cases, however, management does not believe, based on currently available information, that the outcomes of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, though the outcomes could be material to our operating results for any particular period, depending, in part, upon the operating results for such period. Arizona Owner-operator Class Action Litigation On January 30, 2004 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Leonel Garza on behalf of himself and all similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation: Garza v. Swift Transportation Co., Inc ., Case No. CV7-472 (the "Garza Complaint"). The putative class originally involved certain owner-operators who contracted with the Company under a 2001 Contractor Agreement that was in place for one year. The putative class is alleging that the Company should have reimbursed owner-operators for actual miles driven rather than the contracted and industry standard remuneration based upon dispatched miles. The trial court denied the plaintiff’s petition for class certification. The plaintiff appealed and on August 6, 2008, the Arizona Court of Appeals issued an unpublished Memorandum Decision reversing the trial court’s denial of class certification and remanding the case back to the trial court. On November 14, 2008, the Company filed a petition for review to the Arizona Supreme Court regarding the issue of class certification as a consequence of the denial of the Motion for Reconsideration by the Court of Appeals. On March 17, 2009, the Arizona Supreme Court granted the Company’s petition for review, and on July 31, 2009, the Arizona Supreme Court vacated the decision of the Court of Appeals, opining that the Court of Appeals lacked automatic appellate jurisdiction to reverse the trial court’s original denial of class certification and remanded the matter back to the trial court for further evaluation and determination. Thereafter, the plaintiff renewed the motion for class certification and expanded it to include all persons who were employed by Swift as employee drivers or who contracted with Swift as owner-operators on or after January 30, 1998, in each case who were compensated by reference to miles driven. On November 4, 2010, the Maricopa County trial court entered an order certifying a class of owner-operators and expanding the class to include employees. Upon certification, the Company filed a motion to compel arbitration, as well as filing numerous motions in the trial court urging dismissal on several other grounds including, but not limited to the lack of an employee as a class representative, and the named owner-operator class representative only contracted with the Company for a three-month period under a one-year contract that no longer exists. In addition to these trial court motions, the Company also filed a petition for special action with the Arizona Court of Appeals, arguing that the trial court erred in certifying the class because the trial court relied upon the Court of Appeals ruling that was previously overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court. On April 7, 2011, the Arizona Court of Appeals declined jurisdiction to hear this petition for special action and the Company filed a petition for review to the Arizona Supreme Court. On August 31, 2011, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to review the decision of the Arizona Court of Appeals. In April 2012, the trial court issued the following rulings with respect to certain motions filed by Swift: (1) denied Swift’s motion to compel arbitration; (2) denied Swift’s request to decertify the class; (3) granted Swift’s motion that there is no breach of contract; and (4) granted Swift’s motion to limit class size based on statute of limitations. On November 13, 2014, the court denied the plaintiff's motion to add new class representatives for the employee class and therefore the employee class remains without a plaintiff class representative. On March 18, 2015, the court denied Swift's two motions for summary judgment (1) to dismiss any claims related to the employee class since there is no class representative; and (2) to dismiss the plaintiff's claim of breach of a duty of good faith and fair dealing. On July 14, 2015, the court granted Swift's motion to decertify the entire class. On December 23, 2015, the plaintiff filed a petition for special action with the Arizona Court of Appeals. On July 12, 2016, the Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s order decertifying the class. Swift filed a petition for review with the Arizona Supreme Court on August 12, 2016. A decision regarding the petition for review is forthcoming. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such disposition cannot be determined at this time. Ninth Circuit Owner-operator Misclassification Class Action Litigation On December 22, 2009 , a class action lawsuit was filed against Swift Transportation and IEL: Virginia VanDusen, John Doe 1, and Joseph Sheer , individually and on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons v. Swift Transportation Co., Inc., Interstate Equipment Leasing, Inc., Jerry Moyes, and Chad Killebrew , Case No. 9-CIV-10376 filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the "Sheer Complaint"). The putative class involves owner-operators alleging that Swift Transportation misclassified owner-operators as independent contractors in violation of the federal FLSA, and various New York and California state laws and that such owner-operators should be considered employees. The lawsuit also raises certain related issues with respect to the lease agreements that certain owner-operators have entered into with IEL. At present, in addition to the named plaintiffs, approximately 450 other current or former owner-operators have joined this lawsuit. Upon Swift’s motion, the matter was transferred from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to the United States District Court in Arizona. On May 10, 2010, the plaintiffs filed a motion to conditionally certify an FLSA collective action and authorize notice to the potential class members. On September 23, 2010, the plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin Swift and IEL from collecting payments from plaintiffs who are in default under their lease agreements and related relief. On September 30, 2010, the district court granted Swift’s motion to compel arbitration and ordered that the class action be stayed, pending the outcome of arbitration. The district court further denied the plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction and motion for conditional class certification. The district court also denied the plaintiff’s request to arbitrate the matter as a class. The plaintiff filed a petition for a writ of mandamus to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking that the district court’s September 30, 2010 order be vacated. On July 27, 2011, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the plaintiff’s petition for writ of mandamus and thereafter the district court denied the plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration and certified its September 30, 2010 order. The plaintiffs filed an interlocutory appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the district court’s September 30, 2010 order to compel arbitration, alleging that the agreement to arbitrate is exempt from arbitration under Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA") because the class of plaintiffs allegedly consists of employees exempt from arbitration agreements. On November 6, 2013, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded, stating its prior published decision, "expressly held that a district court must determine whether an agreement for arbitration is exempt from arbitration under Section 1 of the FAA as a threshold matter." As a consequence of this determination by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals being different from a decision of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on a similar issue, on February 4, 2014, the Company filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court to address whether the district court or arbitrator should determine whether the contract is an employment contract exempt from Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act. On June 16, 2014, the United States Supreme Court denied the Company’s petition for writ of certiorari. The matter remains pending in the district court and dispositive motion briefing was completed on September 30, 2016. The Company also filed a writ of mandamus and appeal from the district court's order that effectively denied the Company's motion to compel arbitration. The Ninth Circuit held oral argument on November 16, 2015, and after further briefing, dismissed the appeal on July 26, 2016, finding that it lacked jurisdiction. The Company has filed a motion for reconsideration of this decision. The Company intends to vigorously defend against any proceedings. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition cannot be determined at this time. California Wage, Meal, and Rest Driver Class Actions On March 22, 2010 , a class action lawsuit was filed by John Burnell , individually and on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation : John Burnell and all others similarly-situated v. Swift Transportation Co., Inc., filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino (the "Burnell Complaint"). On September 3, 2010, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the United States District Court for the Central District of California (the "California Court"), Case No. EDCV10-809-VAP. The putative class includes drivers who worked for Swift during the four years preceding the date of filing and alleges that Swift failed to pay the California minimum wage, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment. On April 9, 2013, the Company filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, requesting dismissal of the plaintiff's claims related to alleged meal and rest break violations under the California Labor Code alleging that such claims are preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act. The issue of class certification must first be resolved before the California Court will address the merits of these cases, and the Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages pending a determination of class certification. Class certification briefing is now complete and a class certification hearing was scheduled for April 25, 2016. The class certification hearing was held and argued as scheduled. In May 2016, the District Court issued an order denying class certification. The plaintiffs and petitioners sought leave from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to appeal the class decertification order. On July 18, 2016, the court denied the plaintiffs' and petitioners' petition to appeal the decertification order. Therefore, at the present time and based upon the current procedural nature of the case, the final disposition and impact to the Company cannot be determined. On April 5, 2012 , the Company was served with an additional class action complaint, alleging facts similar to those as set forth in the Burnell Complaint: James R. Rudsell , on behalf of himself and all others similarly-situated v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC and Swift Transportation Company , in the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino (the "Rudsell Complaint"). On May 3, 2012, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the California Court, Case No. EDCV12-00692-VAP. The Rudsell Complaint was stayed on April 29, 2013, pending a resolution of the Burnell Complaint. On September 25, 2014 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Lawrence Peck on behalf of himself and all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation: Peck v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside (the "Peck Complaint"). The putative class, which includes current and former non-exempt employee truck drivers who performed services in California within the four-year statutory period, alleges that Swift failed to pay for all hours worked (specifically that pay-per-mile fails to compensate drivers for non-driving related services), failed to pay overtime, failed to properly reimburse work-related expenses, failed to timely pay wages, and failed to provide accurate wage statements. On October 24, 2014, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the California Court, Case No. 14-CV-02206-VAP. The Peck Complaint was stayed on April 6, 2015, pending a resolution of the earlier filed cases. On November 20, 2014, the plaintiff filed a Private Attorneys General Act class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside (the "Peck PAGA Complaint"). Upon motion by Swift, the Peck PAGA Complaint was stayed on March 19, 2015. On May 24, 2016, after the Burnell Court failed to certify the petitioner’s class, the plaintiff filed a motion to lift the stay regarding the Peck PAGA Complaint. On June 22, 2016, the court lifted the stay. The matter is in its initial stages and the parties are engaging in discovery. On February 27, 2015 , Sadashiv Mares filed a complaint alleging five Causes of Action arising under California state law on behalf of himself and a putative class against Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda (the "Mares Complaint"). On July 13, 2015, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 2:15-CV-03253-JSW. Upon the parties' stipulation, on October 17, 2015, the case was transferred to the California Court, Case No. 2:15-CV-07920-VAP. The Mares Complaint was stayed on February 24, 2016, pending a resolution of the earlier filed cases. On October 11, 2016, the court granted a motion filed by the plaintiffs to lift the stay. The matter is in its initial phases and is expected to move into discovery. On or about April 15, 2015 , a complaint was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino: Rafael McKinsty et al. v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC, et al. , (the "McKinsty Complaint"). The McKinsty Complaint, a purported class action, alleges violation of California rest break laws and is similar to the Burnell, Rudsell, Peck, and Mares Complaints. On July 2, 2015, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the California Court, Case No. 15-CV-1317-VAP. The McKinsty Complaint was stayed on August 19, 2015, pending a resolution of the earlier filed cases. On October 15, 2015 , a class action lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside: Thor Nilsen v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC (the "Nilsen Complaint"). The Nilsen Complaint alleges violations of California law similar to the Burnell, Rudsell, Peck, Mares, and McKinsty Complaints. On December 9, 2015, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the California Court, Case No. 15-CV-02504-VAP. The Nilsen Complaint was stayed January 29, 2016, pending resolution of the earlier filed cases. California Private Attorney General Act Class Action On July 8, 2016 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Theron Christopher on behalf of himself and all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC , in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside (the "Christopher Complaint"). The plaintiff purports to represent all current and former employees employed by Swift in California and alleges that Swift violated California law by failing to timely pay wages and failing to reimburse employees for business expenses . The matter is in its initial phases and is expected to move into discovery. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. California Wage, Meal, and Rest: Yard Hostler Class Actions On January 28, 2016 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Grant Fritsch , individually and on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation Services, LLC and Swift Transportation Company in the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino (the "Fritsch Complaint"). The plaintiff worked for Swift as a yard hostler and purports to represent a class of "non-exempt maintenance and service employees" of Swift Transportation Services, LLC and/or Swift Transportation Company. The Fritsch Complaint alleges that Swift failed to pay overtime and doubletime wages required by California law, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment. The Fritsch Complaint also includes a claim under the Private Attorneys General Act. The Company filed a motion to dismiss based upon the wrong party being named in the lawsuit, and the plaintiff agreed to amend the complaint, which was served June 17, 2016. On August 30, 2016, the plaintiff again amended his complaint to clarify the class he was seeking to represent a class of individuals employed by Swift as yard hostlers in California. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. On April 1, 2016 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Bill Barker, Tab Bachman, and William Yingling , on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation Company of Arizona, LLC , in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento (the "Barker Complaint"). The Barker Complaint alleges that Swift failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, failed to reimburse for business expenses, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment . On July 5, 2016, upon motion by Swift, the matter was removed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. 2:16-CV-01532-TLN-CKD. The matter is in its initial phases and is expected to move into discovery. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. National Customer Service Misclassification Class Action Litigation On May 11, 2016 , a collective and class action was filed by a former Swift customer service representative level four ("CSR IV"), Salvador Castro , individually and on behalf of herself and all similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. CV 16 - 3232 (the "Castro Complaint"). The operative complaint alleges failure to pay overtime under the FLSA, as well as California state law claims including failure to pay timely final wages, failure to provide meal and rest periods, failure to pay overtime, and violation of the unfair competition . So far five plaintiffs have opted in to the lawsuit. The matter is in its initial phases and the parties are conducting discovery. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. In addition to the Castro Complaint, fourteen former or current CSR IVs who signed arbitration agreements with Swift have filed individual arbitrations with the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). The claims alleged in the individual arbitrations are the same claims asserted in the Castro Complaint. Arizona Fair Labor Standards Act Class Action Litigation On December 29, 2015 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Pamela Julian , individually and on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons against Swift Transportation, Inc., et al. in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Case No. 1:15-CV-01212-UNA (the "Julian Compliant"). The Julian Complaint alleges that Swift violated the FLSA by failing to pay its trainee drivers minimum wage for all work performed and by failing to pay overtime. On February 29, 2016, upon Stipulation of the Parties, the court transferred the case to the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Case No. 2:16-CV-00576-ROS. On March 9, 2016, Swift filed a motion to dismiss the plaintiffs' overtime claims, which was granted by the District Court on May 31, 2016. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages for the remaining claims. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. Washington Overtime Class Actions On September 9, 2011 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Troy Slack and several other drivers on behalf of themselves, and all similarly-situated persons, against Swift Transportation: Troy Slack, et al . v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC and Swift Transportation Corporation in the State Court of Washington, Pierce County (the "Slack Complaint"). The Slack Complaint was removed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (the "Court") on October 12, 2011, case number 11-2-114380. The putative class includes all current and former Washington state-based employee drivers during the three-year statutory period prior to the filing of the lawsuit, and through the present, and alleges that they were not paid minimum wage and overtime in accordance with Washington state law and that they suffered unlawful deductions from wages. On November 23, 2013, the court entered an order on the plaintiffs' motion to certify the class. The court only certified the class as it pertains to "dedicated" drivers and did not certify any other class, including any class related to over-the-road drivers. On September 2, 2015, new counsel was appointed for the plaintiffs and on November 16, 2015, new legal counsel was substituted for the Company. As a result of the substitution of counsel for both parties, the court extended all existing dates by ten months. On April 1, 2016, the court entered an order approving the plaintiffs' proposed class notice. The matter is now in discovery. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. On January 14, 2016 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Julie Hedglin , individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated against Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC in the State Court of Washington, Pierce County (the "Hedglin Complaint"). The Hedglin Complaint was removed to the Court on February 18, 2016, 3:16-CV-05127-RJB. The putative class includes all current and former Washington heavy haul drivers and alleges the class was not paid for meal and rest periods, was not paid for overtime, was not paid all wages due at established pay periods, and was not provided accurate wage statements. The matter is in its initial phases and is expected to move into discovery. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. Indiana Fair Credit Reporting Act Class Action Litigation On March 18, 2015 , a class action lawsuit was filed by Melvin Banks , individually and on behalf of all other similarly-situated persons against Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Case No. 2:15-CV-00105. The complaint alleges that Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by failing to provide job applicants with adverse action notices and copies of their consumer reports and statements of rights. At this time, the size of the potential class is unknown. The Company’s motion to have the case transferred from Indiana to the United States District Court for the District of Arizona has been granted. The first phase of discovery, regarding potential for identifying and certifying a class of affected job applicants, has been completed. The Company retains all of its defenses against liability and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the merits of these claims and to challenge certification. The final disposition of this case, including the size of any affected class, and the impact of such final disposition of this case cannot be determined at this time. Utah Collective and Individual Arbitration On June 1, 2012 , Gabriel Cilluffo, Kevin Shire, and Bryan Ratterree filed a putative class and collective action lawsuit against Central Refrigerated Service, Inc., Central Leasing, Inc., Jon Isaacson, and Jerry Moyes (collectively referred to herein as the "Central Parties"), Case No. ED CV 12-00886 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Through this action, the plaintiffs alleged that the Central Parties misclassified owner-operator drivers as independent contractors and were therefore liable to these drivers for minimum wages and other employee benefits under the FLSA. The complaint also alleged a federal forced labor claim under 18 U.S.C. § 1589 and 1595, as well as fraud and other state-law claims. Pursuant to the plaintiffs' owner-operator agreements, the district court issued an order compelling arbitration and directed that the plaintiffs' causes of action under the FLSA should proceed to collective arbitration, while their forced labor, fraud, and state law claims would proceed as separate individual arbitrations. A collective arbitration was subsequently initiated with the AAA. Notice of the collective arbitration was sent to more than 3,000 owner-operators who worked for Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. and leased a vehicle from Central Leasing, Inc. on or after June 1, 2009. On October 26, 2016 the arbitrator assigned to the case ruled that approximately 1,300 Central Refrigerated drivers involved in the collective arbitration have been misclassified as independent contractors and that they should have been compensated as employees. The ruling left open the question of what damages, if any, are payable to these drivers. The arbitrator ruled that such damages could be assessed in a collective proceeding and declined to decertify the collective proceeding under the FLSA. No trial date on the claimant's damages has been set by the arbitrator. In addition to the collective arbitration that is pending before the AAA, the three named plaintiffs, along with approximately 325 other owner-operators, have initiated a series of individual, bilateral proceedings against the Central Parties with the AAA. Discovery is commencing in these individual cases, which are pending before approximately 30 separate arbitrators. Rather than proceed simultaneously in hundreds of separate arbitration proceedings, the parties have agreed to select a small number of arbitration cases that will be litigated and proceed to hearing. The outcome in these sample cases-some of which will be selected by plaintiffs’ counsel and some by the Company’s attorneys-will not have a binding impact on the remaining cases, which will be stayed. The parties anticipate that the outcome of these sample, or bellwether cases, may illustrate potential outcomes of the other bilateral arbitration cases and facilitate resolution. Actual trial dates for these sample proceedings have not yet been finally set by the arbitrators, but trials in the limited number of bellwether-like cases are likely to occur in the second quarter of 2017. Upon the acquisition of Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. by Swift Transportation Company (the "Company"), the plaintiffs in both the collective and individual actions were allowed to amend their complaints in June 2015 to include the Company as a defendant. In June 2016, the parties engaged in mediation that ultimately did not result in a settlement of the matter, given the plaintiff's initial demand was $69.0 million and the Company's estimated potential liability was $3.0 million . Based upon the information exchanged between the parties during the mediation, and in accordance with GAAP, the Company recorded an accrual of $3.0 million in the second quarter of 2016 for the estimated probable loss incurred. Based on the October 2016 arbitration ruling, the Company recorded an additional accrual of $22.0 million as of September 30, 2016. Our estimate of the probable loss on this matter is based on the requirements of GAAP and upon the currently available information. The Company and the Central Parties dispute the arbitrator’s rulings to date and intend to continue to vigorously defend against the plaintiff’s claims in both the collective action and individual proceedings. California Class and Collective Action for Pre-employment Physical Testing On October 6, 2014 Robin Anderson filed a putative class and collective action against Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. Case No. 5:14-CV 02062 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California (the "Anderson Complaint"). In this action, the plaintiff alleges that pre-employment tests of physical strength administered by a third party on behalf of Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. had an unlawfully discriminatory impact on female applicants and applicants over the age of 40. The suit seeks damages under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act, and parallel California state law provisions, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Upon the acquisition of Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. by Swift Transportation Company, the plaintiff was allowed to amend her complaint in October 2015 to include Swift Transportation Company and Workwell Systems, Inc. as additional defendants. Workwell Systems, Inc. is the company that provided the physical testing service used by Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. The litigation is still at a very preliminary stage and no trial date has been set. There is not currently any information available regarding the number of potential mem

Derivative Financial Instrument

Derivative Financial Instruments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative Financial Instruments	Derivative Financial Instruments The final settlement of the Company's interest rate swaps occurred in July 2015. The following table presents pre-tax gains and losses from changes in fair value of the Company's interest rate swaps, included in earnings: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Loss reclassified from AOCI into net income from cash flow hedges (effective portion) $ — $ 69 $ — $ 3,886 (Gain) loss recognized in income from de-designated derivative contracts — (1 ) — 86 Derivative interest expense $ — $ 68 $ — $ 3,972 Losses (benefits) on cash flow hedging, reclassified out of AOCI into the consolidated income statements were as follows: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Reclassified to: 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Interest rate swaps Derivative interest expense $ — $ 69 $ — $ 3,886 Income tax benefit Income tax expense — — — (1,469 ) Net income $ — $ 69 $ — $ 2,417

Share Repurchase Programs

Share Repurchase Programs	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Class of Stock Disclosures [Abstract]
Share Repurchase Program	Share Repurchase Programs The following table presents our repurchases of our Class A common stock under the respective share repurchase programs, net of advisory fees: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, As of September 30, Share Repurchase Program 2016 2016 2016 Authorized Amount Board Approval Date Shares Amount Shares Amount Amount Remaining (In thousands) $100,000 September 24, 2015 — $ — 2,221 $ 30,000 $ — $150,000 February 22, 2016 1,341 $ 25,000 5,072 $ 85,000 $ 65,000 1,341 $ 25,000 7,293 $ 115,000 $ 65,000 No share repurchases were made during the three or nine months ended September 30, 2015 .

Weighted Average Shares Outstan

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding Reconciliation [Abstract]
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding	Weighted Average Shares Outstanding The following table reconciles basic weighted average shares outstanding to diluted weighted average shares outstanding: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 132,930 142,801 134,622 142,535 Dilutive effect of stock options 1,532 1,331 1,605 1,703 Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 134,462 144,132 136,227 144,238 Anti-dilutive shares excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation (1) 154 350 156 195 ____________ (1) Shares were excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation because the outstanding options' exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the Company's common shares during the period.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Effective Tax Rate — The effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was 30.0% , which was lower than management's expectation of 36.5% . The difference was primarily due to Federal domestic production deductions realized as discrete items in the three months ended September 30, 2016. The effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2015 was 37.0% , which was lower than management's expectation of 38.5% , primarily due to certain Federal employment tax credits realized as discrete items. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was 31.9% , which was lower than management's expectation of 36.5% . The difference was primarily due to a foreign subsidiary's income tax credits related to tolls paid, a domestic subsidiary's income tax credits for research and development, a reduction in the uncertain tax position reserve, and Federal domestic production deductions, all realized as discrete items. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 38.1% , which was lower than management's expectation of 38.5% , primarily due to certain Federal employment tax credits realized as discrete items. Interest and Penalties — Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were approximately $0.4 million and $1.4 million , respectively. The Company does not anticipate a decrease of unrecognized tax benefits during the next twelve months . Tax Examinations — Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries are currently under examination by the Internal Revenue Service and various state jurisdictions for tax years ranging from 2010 through 2015 . At the completion of these examinations, management does not expect any adjustments that would have a material impact on the Company’s effective tax rate. Years subsequent to 2011 remain subject to examination.

Fair Value Measurement

Fair Value Measurement	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurement	Fair Value Measurement The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments: September 30, 2016 December 31, 2015 Carrying Estimated Carrying Estimated (In thousands) Financial Assets: Restricted investments (1) $ 22,864 $ 22,851 $ 23,215 $ 23,190 Financial Liabilities: 2015 Agreement: New Term Loan A, due July 2020 (2) 592,819 594,250 668,055 669,750 Accounts receivable securitization, due January 2019 (3) 299,196 300,000 223,927 225,000 Revolving line of credit, due July 2020 50,000 50,000 200,000 200,000 ____________ The carrying amounts of the financial instruments shown in the table are included in the consolidated balance sheets, as follows: (1) Restricted investments are included in "Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost." (2) The New Term Loan A is included in "Current portion of long-term debt" and "Long-term debt, less current portion." Carrying value is net of $1.4 million and $1.7 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. (3) Carrying value is net of $0.8 million and $1.1 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. Recurring Fair Value Measurements As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , no major categories of assets or liabilities included in the Company's consolidated balance sheets at estimated fair value were measured on a recurring basis. Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements As of September 30, 2016 , there were no assets or liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheet estimated at fair value that were measured on a nonrecurring basis. The following table depicts the level in the fair value hierarchy of the inputs used to estimate fair value of assets measured on a nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2015 (in thousands): Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using: Estimated Level 1 Inputs Level 2 Inputs Level 3 Inputs Total Gains (Losses) As of December 31, 2015 (In thousands) Note receivable $ — $ — $ — $ — $ (1,480 ) In September 2013, the Company agreed to advance up to $2.3 million , pursuant to an unsecured promissory note, to an independent fleet contractor that transported freight on Swift's behalf. In March 2015, management became aware that the independent contractor violated various covenants outlined in the unsecured promissory note, which created an event of default that made the principal and accrued interest immediately due and payable. As a result of this event of default, as well as an overall decline in the independent contractor's financial condition, management re-evaluated the fair value of the unsecured promissory note. At March 31, 2015, management determined that the remaining balance due from the independent contractor to the Company was not collectible, which resulted in a $1.5 million pre-tax adjustment that was recorded in "Non-cash impairments of non-operating assets" in the Company's consolidated income statement. As of December 31, 2015 , there were no liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheet estimated at fair value that were measured on a nonrecurring basis.

Segments and Geography

Segments and Geography	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segments and Geography	Segments and Geography Segment Information The Company’s four reportable operating segments are Truckload, Dedicated, Swift Refrigerated, and Intermodal. Truckload — The Truckload segment consists of one-way movements over irregular routes throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This service utilizes both company and owner-operator tractors with dry van, flatbed, and other specialized trailing equipment. Dedicated — Through the Dedicated segment, the Company devotes use of equipment to specific customers and offers tailored solutions under long-term contracts. This segment utilizes refrigerated, dry van, flatbed, and other specialized trailing equipment. Swift Refrigerated — This segment primarily consists of shipments for customers that require temperature-controlled trailers. These shipments include one-way movements over irregular routes, as well as dedicated truck operations. Intermodal — The Intermodal segment includes revenue generated by moving freight over the rail in the Company's containers and other trailing equipment, combined with revenue for drayage to transport loads between the railheads and customer locations. Non-reportable Segments — The non-reportable segments include the Company's logistics and freight brokerage services, as well as support services that its subsidiaries provide to customers and owner-operators, including repair and maintenance shop services, equipment leasing, and insurance. Intangible amortization related to the 2007 Transactions, certain legal settlements and reserves, and certain other corporate expenses are also included in the non-reportable segments. Intersegment Eliminations — Certain operating segments provide transportation and related services for other affiliates outside their reportable segment. Revenues for such services are based on negotiated rates, which we believe approximate fair value, and are reflected as revenues of the billing segment. These rates are adjusted from time to time, based on market conditions. Such intersegment revenues and expenses are eliminated in our consolidated results. Set forth in the tables below is certain financial information with respect to the Company’s reportable segments: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Operating revenue: (In thousands) Truckload $ 516,692 $ 552,816 $ 1,526,807 $ 1,646,872 Dedicated 248,798 234,517 713,923 686,505 Swift Refrigerated 85,019 93,045 256,774 286,301 Intermodal 92,260 100,966 264,874 289,827 Subtotal 942,769 981,344 2,762,378 2,909,505 Non-reportable segments 89,740 104,176 288,303 289,667 Intersegment eliminations (19,283 ) (20,547 ) (57,778 ) (59,651 ) Consolidated operating revenue $ 1,013,226 $ 1,064,973 $ 2,992,903 $ 3,139,521 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Operating income (loss): (In thousands) Truckload $ 47,670 $ 57,012 $ 134,432 $ 181,810 Dedicated 30,333 17,573 82,640 54,885 Swift Refrigerated (20,250 ) 2,622 (15,778 ) 13,538 Intermodal 358 723 (1,647 ) 1,081 Subtotal 58,111 77,930 199,647 251,314 Non-reportable segments (18,258 ) (3,009 ) (33,106 ) (2,917 ) Consolidated operating income $ 39,853 $ 74,921 $ 166,541 $ 248,397 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment: (In thousands) Truckload $ 31,868 $ 31,424 $ 93,721 $ 89,958 Dedicated 17,417 15,992 49,826 45,885 Swift Refrigerated 3,975 4,735 12,752 11,399 Intermodal 2,895 3,535 8,894 10,231 Subtotal 56,155 55,686 165,193 157,473 Non-reportable segments 11,090 11,166 33,691 26,721 Consolidated depreciation and amortization of property and equipment $ 67,245 $ 66,852 $ 198,884 $ 184,194 Geographical Information In aggregate, operating revenue from the Company's foreign operations was less than 5.0% of consolidated operating revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 . Additionally, long-lived assets on the Company's foreign subsidiaries' balance sheets were less than 5.0% of consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 .

Jerry Moyes' Retirement

Jerry Moyes' Retirement	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Jerry Moyes' Retirement	Jerry Moyes' Retirement In conjunction with the Company's September 8, 2016 announcement that Jerry Moyes would retire from his position as Chief Executive Officer effective December 31, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with Mr. Moyes to memorialize the terms of his retirement. The Company contracted with Mr. Moyes to serve as a non-employee consultant from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019 , during which time the Company will pay Mr. Moyes a monthly consulting fee of $0.2 million in cash. Additionally, the Company modified the vesting terms and forfeiture conditions of Mr. Moyes' previously-granted equity awards. As a result of the terms of the agreement, the Company incurred a one-time expense in September 2016 of $7.1 million , consisting of $6.8 million in accrued consulting fees and $0.3 million for the impact of the equity award modifications. The amounts are included in "Salaries, wages, and employee benefits " within the non-reportable segments ' income statement. The following schedule is a rollforward of the accrued liability for the consulting fees: September 30, (In thousands) Balance at December 31, 2015 $ — Additions to accrual 6,837 Less: payments — Balance at September 30, 2016 (1) $ 6,837 ____________ (1) The $0.3 million impact of the equity award modification is excluded from the accrual balance because it is classified as "Additional paid-in capital" in the consolidated balance sheet.

Accounting Policies Contingenci

Accounting Policies Contingencies and Legal Proceedings (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Contingencies and Legal Proceedings, Policy	The Company is involved in certain claims and pending litigation primarily arising in the normal course of business. The majority of these claims relate to workers' compensation, auto collision and liability, physical damage, and cargo damage. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred and accrues for the uninsured portion of contingent losses from these and other pending claims when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Based on the knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, advice of outside counsel, management believes the resolution of claims and pending litigation, taking into account existing reserves, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company. Moreover, the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict and the Company’s view of these matters may change in the future as the litigation and events related thereto unfold. For certain cases described below, management is unable to provide a meaningful estimate of the possible loss or range of loss because, among other reasons, (1) the proceedings are in various stages that do not allow for assessment; (2) damages have not been sought; (3) damages are unsupported and/or exaggerated; (4) there is uncertainty as to the outcome of pending appeals; and/or (5) there are significant factual issues to be resolved. For these cases, however, management does not believe, based on currently available information, that the outcomes of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, though the outcomes could be material to our operating results for any particular period, depending, in part, upon the operating results for such period.

Introduction and Basis of Pre25

Introduction and Basis of Presentation (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Table Text Block]	The Company retrospectively adjusted the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet to align with the current period presentation, as follows: December 31, 2015 Financial Statement Caption Unadjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet Reclassification Adjustments Adjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet (In thousands) ASSETS: Other assets $ 29,353 $ (2,768 ) $ 26,585 LIABILITIES: Current portion of long-term debt $ 35,582 $ (68 ) $ 35,514 Long-term debt, less current portion 645,290 (1,627 ) 643,663 Accounts receivable securitization 225,000 (1,073 ) 223,927

Recently Issued Accounting Pr26

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Table Text Block]	The following table presents accounting pronouncements recently issued by FASB, but not yet adopted by the Company. Date Issued Reference Description Expected Adoption Date and Method Financial Statement Impact August 2016 2016-15: Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) – Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments This ASU has several amendments, which are designed to reduce existing diversity in practice of how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The ASU addresses eight specific cash flow issues, of which the following are expected to be applicable to Swift: 1) debt prepayment and extinguishment costs, 2) proceeds from settlement of insurance claims, 3) proceeds from settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, 4) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and 5) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. January 2018, Retrospective Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material. June 2016 2016-13: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) – Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments The purpose of this ASU is to amend the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a new methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. This is the final credit accounting standard, out of a series, with detailed guidance on the new loss reserve model, Current Expected Credit Loss ("CECL"). Among other provisions, the amendments in the ASU require a financial asset (or group of assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Entities are no longer required to wait until a loss is probable to record it. January 2020, Adoption method varies by amendment Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material. May 2016 2016-12: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Narrow-scope Improvements and Practical Expedients The amendments in this ASU clarify certain aspects regarding the collectibility criterion, sales taxes collected from customers, noncash consideration, contract modifications, and completed contracts at transition. It additionally clarifies that retrospective application only requires disclosure of the accounting change effect on prior periods presented, not on the period of adoption. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. Date Issued Reference Description Expected Adoption Date and Method Financial Statement Impact April 2016 2016-10: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing The amendments in this ASU clarify the following two aspects of Topic 606: identifying performance obligations and the licensing implementation guidance, while retaining the related principles for those areas. The amendments do not change the core principle of the guidance. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. March 2016 2016-08: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) The amendments in this ASU are intended to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, but do not change the core principle of the guidance. January 2018, Modified retrospective Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable. March 2016 2016-09: Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718) – Improvements to Employee Share-based Payment Accounting The amendments in this ASU are intended to simplify various aspects of accounting for stock-based compensation, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as equity or liability, as well as classification of activities within the statement of cash flows. January 2017, Adoption method varies by amendment Currently under evaluation; not yet quantifiable. February 2016 2016-02: Leases (Topic 842) The new standard requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising from both operating and financing leases on the balance sheet. Lessor accounting for leases is largely unaffected by the new guidance. January 2019, Modified retrospective Currently under evaluation; expected to be material, but not yet quantifiable. January 2016 2016-01: Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10) – Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities The amendments in this ASU address various aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. They additionally establish ASC Topic 321 – Investments – Equity Securities , which applies to investments in equity securities and other ownership interests in an entity, including investments in partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, and limited liability companies. January 2018, Modified retrospective Not expected to be material.

Restricted Investments (Tables)

Restricted Investments (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Schedule of Investments [Abstract]
Amortized Cost, Gross Unrealized Gains And Losses, Estimated Fair Value Of Fixed Maturity Securities	The following table presents the cost or amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and temporary losses, and estimated fair value of the Company’s restricted investments: September 30, 2016 Gross Unrealized Cost or Amortized Gains Temporary Estimated Fair Value (In thousands) United States corporate securities $ 16,483 $ 1 $ (8 ) $ 16,476 Municipal bonds 4,956 — (6 ) 4,950 Negotiable certificate of deposits 1,425 — — 1,425 Restricted investments, held to maturity $ 22,864 $ 1 $ (14 ) $ 22,851 December 31, 2015 Gross Unrealized Cost or Amortized Gains Temporary Estimated Fair Value (In thousands) United States corporate securities $ 16,686 $ 2 $ (27 ) $ 16,661 Municipal bonds 4,904 1 (1 ) 4,904 Negotiable certificate of deposits 1,625 — — 1,625 Restricted investments, held to maturity $ 23,215 $ 3 $ (28 ) $ 23,190

Goodwill and Other Intangible28

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Intangible Assets, net [Table Text Block]	Other intangible asset balances were as follows: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) Customer Relationships: Gross carrying value $ 275,324 $ 275,324 Accumulated amortization (185,853 ) (173,242 ) Customer relationships, net 89,471 102,082 Trade Name: Gross carrying value 181,037 181,037 Intangible assets, net $ 270,508 $ 283,119
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]	The following table presents amortization of intangible assets related to the 2007 Transactions and intangible assets existing prior to the 2007 Transactions: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Amortization of intangible assets related to the 2007 Transactions $ 3,912 $ 3,912 $ 11,736 $ 11,736 Amortization related to intangible assets existing prior to the 2007 Transactions 292 292 875 875 Amortization of intangibles $ 4,204 $ 4,204 $ 12,611 $ 12,611

Debt and Financing (Tables)

Debt and Financing (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Debt Balances by Instrument [Table Text Block]	Other than the Company’s accounts receivable securitization, as discussed in Note 5, and its outstanding capital lease obligations as discussed in Note 8, the Company's long-term debt consisted of the following: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) 2015 Agreement: New Term Loan A, due July 2020, net of $1,431 and $1,695 DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively (1) $ 592,819 $ 668,055 Other 1,243 11,122 Long-term debt 594,062 679,177 Less: current portion of long-term debt, net of $0 and $68 DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively (799 ) (35,514 ) Long-term debt, less current portion $ 593,263 $ 643,663 September 30, December 31, (In thousands) Long-term debt $ 594,062 $ 679,177 Revolving line of credit, due July 2020 (1) (2) 50,000 200,000 Long-term debt, including revolving line of credit $ 644,062 $ 879,177 ____________ (1) Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of long-term debt. (2) The Company additionally had outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers' compensation and self-insurance liabilities of $97.0 million and $95.0 million under the New Revolver at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively.
Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments	The following table presents the key terms of the 2015 Agreement: Description New Term Loan A New Revolver (2) (Dollars in thousands) Maximum borrowing capacity $680,000 $600,000 Final maturity date July 27, 2020 July 27, 2020 Interest rate base LIBOR LIBOR LIBOR floor —% —% Interest rate minimum margin (1) 1.50% 1.50% Interest rate maximum margin (1) 2.25% 2.25% Minimum principal payment – amount (3) $6,625 $— Minimum principal payment – frequency Quarterly Once Minimum principal payment – commencement date (3) December 31, July 27, ____________ (1) The interest rate margin for the New Term Loan A and New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio. As of September 30, 2016 , interest accrued at 2.03% on the New Term Loan A and 2.03% on the New Revolver. As of December 31, 2015, interest accrued at 2.12% on the New Term Loan A and 2.08% on the New Revolver. (2) The commitment fee for the unused portion of the New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio and ranges from 0.25% to 0.35% . As of September 30, 2016 , commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.50% . As of December 31, 2015, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.75% . (3) Commencing in March 2017, the minimum quarterly payment amount on the New Term Loan A is $12.3 million , at which it remains until final maturity.

Deferred Loan Costs (Tables)

Deferred Loan Costs (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Issuance Costs, Net [Abstract]
Debt Issuance Costs [Table Text Block]	The following table presents the classification of DLCs in the Company's consolidated balance sheets: September 30, December 31, (In thousands) ASSETS: Other assets $ 1,251 $ 1,496 LIABILITIES: Current portion of long-term debt — 68 Long-term debt, less current portion 1,431 1,627 Accounts receivable securitization 804 1,073 Total DLCs $ 3,486 $ 4,264

Derivative Financial Instrume31

Derivative Financial Instruments (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Classification Of Gains And Losses On Interest Rate Derivative Contracts Designated As Hedging Instruments	The following table presents pre-tax gains and losses from changes in fair value of the Company's interest rate swaps, included in earnings: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Loss reclassified from AOCI into net income from cash flow hedges (effective portion) $ — $ 69 $ — $ 3,886 (Gain) loss recognized in income from de-designated derivative contracts — (1 ) — 86 Derivative interest expense $ — $ 68 $ — $ 3,972
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Losses (benefits) on cash flow hedging, reclassified out of AOCI into the consolidated income statements were as follows: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Reclassified to: 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Interest rate swaps Derivative interest expense $ — $ 69 $ — $ 3,886 Income tax benefit Income tax expense — — — (1,469 ) Net income $ — $ 69 $ — $ 2,417

Share Repurchase Programs (Tabl

Share Repurchase Programs (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Class of Stock Disclosures [Abstract]
Share Repurchases [Table Text Block]	The following table presents our repurchases of our Class A common stock under the respective share repurchase programs, net of advisory fees: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, As of September 30, Share Repurchase Program 2016 2016 2016 Authorized Amount Board Approval Date Shares Amount Shares Amount Amount Remaining (In thousands) $100,000 September 24, 2015 — $ — 2,221 $ 30,000 $ — $150,000 February 22, 2016 1,341 $ 25,000 5,072 $ 85,000 $ 65,000 1,341 $ 25,000 7,293 $ 115,000 $ 65,000

Weighted Average Shares Outst33

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding Reconciliation [Abstract]
Calculation Of Basic And Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable To Stockholders	The following table reconciles basic weighted average shares outstanding to diluted weighted average shares outstanding: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 132,930 142,801 134,622 142,535 Dilutive effect of stock options 1,532 1,331 1,605 1,703 Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 134,462 144,132 136,227 144,238 Anti-dilutive shares excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation (1) 154 350 156 195 ____________ (1) Shares were excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation because the outstanding options' exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the Company's common shares during the period.

Fair Value Measurement (Tables)

Fair Value Measurement (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value by Balance Sheet Grouping	The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments: September 30, 2016 December 31, 2015 Carrying Estimated Carrying Estimated (In thousands) Financial Assets: Restricted investments (1) $ 22,864 $ 22,851 $ 23,215 $ 23,190 Financial Liabilities: 2015 Agreement: New Term Loan A, due July 2020 (2) 592,819 594,250 668,055 669,750 Accounts receivable securitization, due January 2019 (3) 299,196 300,000 223,927 225,000 Revolving line of credit, due July 2020 50,000 50,000 200,000 200,000 ____________ The carrying amounts of the financial instruments shown in the table are included in the consolidated balance sheets, as follows: (1) Restricted investments are included in "Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost." (2) The New Term Loan A is included in "Current portion of long-term debt" and "Long-term debt, less current portion." Carrying value is net of $1.4 million and $1.7 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. (3) Carrying value is net of $0.8 million and $1.1 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively.
Fair Value Measurements, Nonrecurring	The following table depicts the level in the fair value hierarchy of the inputs used to estimate fair value of assets measured on a nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2015 (in thousands): Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using: Estimated Level 1 Inputs Level 2 Inputs Level 3 Inputs Total Gains (Losses) As of December 31, 2015 (In thousands) Note receivable $ — $ — $ — $ — $ (1,480 )

Segments and Geography (Tables)

Segments and Geography (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Summary Of Financial Information By Segments	Set forth in the tables below is certain financial information with respect to the Company’s reportable segments: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Operating revenue: (In thousands) Truckload $ 516,692 $ 552,816 $ 1,526,807 $ 1,646,872 Dedicated 248,798 234,517 713,923 686,505 Swift Refrigerated 85,019 93,045 256,774 286,301 Intermodal 92,260 100,966 264,874 289,827 Subtotal 942,769 981,344 2,762,378 2,909,505 Non-reportable segments 89,740 104,176 288,303 289,667 Intersegment eliminations (19,283 ) (20,547 ) (57,778 ) (59,651 ) Consolidated operating revenue $ 1,013,226 $ 1,064,973 $ 2,992,903 $ 3,139,521 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Operating income (loss): (In thousands) Truckload $ 47,670 $ 57,012 $ 134,432 $ 181,810 Dedicated 30,333 17,573 82,640 54,885 Swift Refrigerated (20,250 ) 2,622 (15,778 ) 13,538 Intermodal 358 723 (1,647 ) 1,081 Subtotal 58,111 77,930 199,647 251,314 Non-reportable segments (18,258 ) (3,009 ) (33,106 ) (2,917 ) Consolidated operating income $ 39,853 $ 74,921 $ 166,541 $ 248,397 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment: (In thousands) Truckload $ 31,868 $ 31,424 $ 93,721 $ 89,958 Dedicated 17,417 15,992 49,826 45,885 Swift Refrigerated 3,975 4,735 12,752 11,399 Intermodal 2,895 3,535 8,894 10,231 Subtotal 56,155 55,686 165,193 157,473 Non-reportable segments 11,090 11,166 33,691 26,721 Consolidated depreciation and amortization of property and equipment $ 67,245 $ 66,852 $ 198,884 $ 184,194

Jerry Moyes' Retirement (Tables

Jerry Moyes' Retirement (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Accrued Liabilities for Consulting Fees, Rollforward[Table Text Block]	The following schedule is a rollforward of the accrued liability for the consulting fees: September 30, (In thousands) Balance at December 31, 2015 $ — Additions to accrual 6,837 Less: payments — Balance at September 30, 2016 (1) $ 6,837 ____________ (1) The $0.3 million impact of the equity award modification is excluded from the accrual balance because it is classified as "Additional paid-in capital" in the consolidated balance sheet.

Introduction and Basis Of Pre37

Introduction and Basis Of Presentation (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016SegmentVehicle
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of tractors in fleet	19,157
Number of company tractors	14,380
Number of owner-operator tractors	4,777
Number of trailers	62,727
Number of intermodal containers	9,131
Number of reportable segments | Segment	4

Introduction and Basis Of Pre38

Introduction and Basis Of Presentation Change in Accounting Estimate (Details) - Change in Accounting Method Accounted for as Change in Estimate [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Change in Accounting Estimate, Description		the Company decreased the estimated residual values of a certain group of its tractors, given recent trends in the used tractor market.  Management prospectively accounted for this as a change in accounting estimate.  This increased "Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment" in the consolidated income statements
Depreciation	$ 3.6	$ 3.6

Introduction and Basis Of Pre39

Introduction and Basis Of Presentation Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Other assets	$ 22,664	$ 26,585
Current portion of long-term debt	799	35,514
Long-term debt, less current portion	593,263	643,663
Accounts receivable securitization	$ 299,196	223,927
Unadjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Other assets		29,353
Current portion of long-term debt		35,582
Long-term debt, less current portion		645,290
Accounts receivable securitization		225,000
Reclassification Adjustments
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Other assets		(2,768)
Current portion of long-term debt		(68)
Long-term debt, less current portion		(1,627)
Accounts receivable securitization		$ (1,073)
Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest. The amendments in this ASU simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs and align the presentation with debt discounts. Entities are required to present debt issuance costs within liabilities as a direct deduction from the face amount of the related debt, rather than as a deferred charge within assets.
Adoption date and method	retrospective application, with related disclosures for a change in accounting principle. For public business entities, the amendments in these ASUs are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and the interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted.
Accounting Standards Update 2015-15 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements – Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting (SEC Update), which also amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest. The SEC determined that ASU 2015-03 (discussed above) did not address costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The amendments in ASU 2015-15 clarify that entities may defer and present debt issuance costs as an asset, and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement.
Adoption date and method	retrospective application, with related disclosures for a change in accounting principle. For public business entities, the amendments in these ASUs are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and the interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted.

Recently Issued Accounting Pr40

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Standards Update 2016-15 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	This ASU has several amendments, which are designed to reduce existing diversity in practice of how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The ASU addresses eight specific cash flow issues, of which the following are expected to be applicable to Swift: 1) debt prepayment and extinguishment costs, 2) proceeds from settlement of insurance claims, 3) proceeds from settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, 4) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and 5) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle.
Adoption date and method	January 2018, Retrospective
Financial statement impact	Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The purpose of this ASU is to amend the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a new methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. This is the final credit accounting standard, out of a series, with detailed guidance on the new loss reserve model, Current Expected Credit Loss ("CECL"). Among other provisions, the amendments in the ASU require a financial asset (or group of assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Entities are no longer required to wait until a loss is probable to record it.
Adoption date and method	January 2020, Adoption method varies by amendment
Financial statement impact	Currently under evaluation; not expected to be material.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-12 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The amendments in this ASU clarify certain aspects regarding the collectibility criterion, sales taxes collected from customers, noncash consideration, contract modifications, and completed contracts at transition. It additionally clarifies that retrospective application only requires disclosure of the accounting change effect on prior periods presented, not on the period of adoption.
Adoption date and method	January 2018, Modified retrospective
Financial statement impact	Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-10 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The amendments in this ASU clarify the following two aspects of Topic 606: identifying performance obligations and the licensing implementation guidance, while retaining the related principles for those areas. The amendments do not change the core principle of the guidance.
Adoption date and method	January 2018, Modified retrospective
Financial statement impact	Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-08 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The amendments in this ASU are intended to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, but do not change the core principle of the guidance.
Adoption date and method	January 2018, Modified retrospective
Financial statement impact	Impact of ASC Topic 606 overall is currently under evaluation; may be material, but not yet quantifiable.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The amendments in this ASU are intended to simplify various aspects of accounting for stock-based compensation, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as equity or liability, as well as classification of activities within the statement of cash flows.
Adoption date and method	January 2017, Adoption method varies by amendment
Financial statement impact	Currently under evaluation; not yet quantifiable.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The new standard requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising from both operating and financing leases on the balance sheet. Lessor accounting for leases is largely unaffected by the new guidance.
Adoption date and method	January 2019, Modified retrospective
Financial statement impact	Currently under evaluation; expected to be material, but not yet quantifiable.
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Line Items]
Accounting pronouncement description	The amendments in this ASU address various aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. They additionally establish ASC Topic 321 – Investments – Equity Securities, which applies to investments in equity securities and other ownership interests in an entity, including investments in partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, and limited liability companies.
Adoption date and method	January 2018, Modified retrospective
Financial statement impact	Not expected to be material.

Restricted Investments (Details

Restricted Investments (Details) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)Securities	Sep. 30, 2016USD ($)Securities
Restricted Investments [Line Items]
Cost or Amortized Cost	[1]	$ 23,215	$ 22,864
Gross Unrealized Gains		3	1
Gross Unrealized Temporary Losses		(28)	(14)
Estimated Fair Value	[1]	$ 23,190	$ 22,851
Securities with unrealized losses for less than 12 months | Securities		36	44
Maximum [Member]
Restricted Investments [Line Items]
Contractual maturities of fixed maturity securities			1 year
SWFT_Duration of Securities in Unrealized Loss Position		12 months	12 months
United States corporate securities [Member]
Restricted Investments [Line Items]
Cost or Amortized Cost		$ 16,686	$ 16,483
Gross Unrealized Gains		2	1
Gross Unrealized Temporary Losses		(27)	(8)
Estimated Fair Value		16,661	16,476
Municipal bonds [Member]
Restricted Investments [Line Items]
Cost or Amortized Cost		4,904	4,956
Gross Unrealized Gains		1	0
Gross Unrealized Temporary Losses		(1)	(6)
Estimated Fair Value		4,904	4,950
Negotiable certificate of deposits [Member]
Restricted Investments [Line Items]
Cost or Amortized Cost		1,625	1,425
Gross Unrealized Gains		0	0
Gross Unrealized Temporary Losses		0	0
Estimated Fair Value		$ 1,625	$ 1,425
[1]	Restricted investments are included in "Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost."

Goodwill and Other Intangible42

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets- Impairments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Goodwill and Other Intangible43

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets-Intangible Asset Balances (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Customer Relationships:
Gross carrying value	$ 275,324	$ 275,324
Accumulated amortization	(185,853)	(173,242)
Customer relationships, net	89,471	102,082
Trade Name:
Gross carrying value	181,037	181,037
Intangible assets, net	$ 270,508	$ 283,119

Goodwill and Other Intangible44

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets-Amortization Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	$ 4,204	$ 4,204	$ 12,611	$ 12,611
Amortization of intangible assets related to the 2007 Transactions [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	3,912	3,912	11,736	11,736
Amortization related to intangible assets existing prior to the 2007 Transactions [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	$ 292	$ 292	$ 875	$ 875

Accounts Receivable Securitiz45

Accounts Receivable Securitization (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
2015 RSA [Member]
Servicing Liabilities at Fair Value [Line Items]
Interest accrual rate	1.10%	1.00%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Fee			$ 1.2		$ 3.1
2013 RSA [Member]
Servicing Liabilities at Fair Value [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral Fee				$ 0.8		$ 2.7

Debt and Financing-Debt Balance

Debt and Financing-Debt Balances (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 594,062	$ 679,177
Deferred loan costs, Term Loan A		3,486	4,264
Less: current portion of long-term debt		(799)	(35,514)
Deferred loan costs, current portion of long-term debt		0	68
Long-term debt, less current portion		593,263	643,663
Revolving line of credit	[1],[2]	50,000	200,000
Long-term debt, including revolving line of credit		644,062	879,177
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		97,000	95,000
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	[1],[3]	592,819	668,055
Deferred loan costs, Term Loan A		1,431	1,695
Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 1,243	$ 11,122
[1]	Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of long-term debt.
[2]	The Company additionally had outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers' compensation and self-insurance liabilities of $97.0 million and $95.0 million under the New Revolver at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.
[3]	The New Term Loan A is included in "Current portion of long-term debt" and "Long-term debt, less current portion." Carrying value is net of $1.4 million and $1.7 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Debt And Financing-Credit Agree

Debt And Financing-Credit Agreement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jul. 27, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from long-term debt			$ 0	$ 684,504
Proceeds from revolving line of credit			(150,000)	$ 143,000
Repayments of Debt		$ 4,900
2014 Agreement, Old Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		450,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount		0
2014 Agreement, Old Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		500,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount		485,000
2014 Agreement, Term Loan B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		400,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount		395,000
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			680,000
Proceeds from long-term debt		680,000
2015 Agreement, New Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	[1]		$ 600,000
Proceeds from revolving line of credit		$ 200,000
[1]	The commitment fee for the unused portion of the New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio and ranges from 0.25% to 0.35%. As of September 30, 2016, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.50%. As of December 31, 2015, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.75%

Debt and Financing-Debt Terms (

Debt and Financing-Debt Terms (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2020
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 680,000		$ 680,000
Final maturity date				Jul. 27, 2020
Interest rate base				LIBOR
LIBOR Floor				0.00%
Minimum principal payment - amount	[1]			$ 6,625
Minimum principal payment - frequency				Quarterly
Minimum principal payment - commencement date	[1]			Dec. 31, 2015
Interest accrual rate		2.03%	2.12%
2015 Agreement, New Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	[2]	$ 600,000		$ 600,000
Final maturity date	[2]			Jul. 27, 2020
Interest rate base	[2]			LIBOR
LIBOR Floor	[2]			0.00%
Minimum principal payment - amount	[2]			$ 0
Minimum principal payment - frequency	[2]			Once
Minimum principal payment - commencement date	[2]			Jul. 27, 2020
Interest accrual rate		2.03%	2.08%
Commitment fee percentage, unused portion		0.25%	0.25%
Outstanding letter of credit fees		1.50%	1.75%
Minimum [Member] | 2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	[3]			1.50%
Minimum [Member] | 2015 Agreement, New Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	[2],[3]			1.50%
Commitment fee percentage, unused portion				0.25%
Maximum [Member] | 2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	[3]			2.25%
Maximum [Member] | 2015 Agreement, New Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	[2],[3]			2.25%
Commitment fee percentage, unused portion				0.35%
Subsequent Event [Member] | 2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum principal payment - amount					$ 12,300
[1]	Commencing in March 2017, the minimum quarterly payment amount on the New Term Loan A is $12.3 million, at which it remains until final maturity.
[2]	The commitment fee for the unused portion of the New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio and ranges from 0.25% to 0.35%. As of September 30, 2016, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.50%. As of December 31, 2015, commitment fees on the unused portion of the New Revolver accrued at 0.25% and outstanding letter of credit fees accrued at 1.75%
[3]	The interest rate margin for the New Term Loan A and New Revolver is based on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio. As of September 30, 2016, interest accrued at 2.03% on the New Term Loan A and 2.03% on the New Revolver. As of December 31, 2015, interest accrued at 2.12% on the New Term Loan A and 2.08% on the New Revolver.

Debt and Financing-Loss on Debt

Debt and Financing-Loss on Debt Extinguishment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Loss on debt extinguishment	$ 0	$ 9,567	$ 0	$ 9,567

Deferred Loan Costs (Details)

Deferred Loan Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Issuance Costs [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	$ 3,486	$ 4,264
Other assets
Debt Issuance Costs [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	1,251	1,496
Current portion of long-term debt
Debt Issuance Costs [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	0	68
Long-term debt, less current portion
Debt Issuance Costs [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	1,431	1,627
Accounts receivable securitization
Debt Issuance Costs [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	$ 804	$ 1,073

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Leases [Abstract]
Collateral, revenue equipment, gross cost	$ 326,200		$ 326,200		$ 357,800
Collateral, accumulated amortization	91,500		91,500		$ 90,100
Rental expense	$ 57,004	$ 59,088	$ 170,326	$ 180,909

Purchase Commitments (Details)

Purchase Commitments (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016USD ($)
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Percentage Of Cancel Tractor Purchase Orders	35.10%
Minimum [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Duration Of Option To Cancel Purchase Orders	60 days
Maximum [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Duration Of Option To Cancel Purchase Orders	90 days
Capital Addition Purchase Commitments Total Revenue Equipment [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase Commitment, Future Minimum Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	$ 174,300,000
Purchase Commitment, Due in Second Year	190,900,000
Purchase Commitment, Due in Third Year	0
Capital Addition Purchase Commitments of Tractors [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase Commitment, Future Minimum Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	103,200,000
Purchase Commitment, Due in Second Year	190,900,000
Capital Addition Purchase Commitments Non revenue equipment [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase Commitment, Future Minimum Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	300,000
Capital Addition Purchase Commitments Facilities [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase Commitment, Future Minimum Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	$ 0

Contingencies and Legal Proce53

Contingencies and Legal Proceedings (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016USD ($)plaintiff	Oct. 26, 2016plaintiff
Arizona owner operator class action 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			January 30, 2004
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Leonel Garza
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co., Inc
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleging that the Company should have reimbursed owner-operators for actual miles driven rather than the contracted and industry standard remuneration based upon dispatched miles.
Ninth circuit owner operator misclassification class action 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			December 22, 2009
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Virginia VanDusen, John Doe 1, and Joseph Sheer
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co., Inc., Interstate Equipment Leasing, Inc., Jerry Moyes, and Chad Killebrew
Loss Contingency, Allegations			owner-operators alleging that Swift Transportation misclassified owner-operators as independent contractors in violation of the federal FLSA, and various New York and California state laws and that such owner-operators should be considered employees. The lawsuit also raises certain related issues with respect to the lease agreements that certain owner-operators have entered into with IEL.
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs			450
California Wage Meal And Rest Driver Class Action 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			March 22, 2010
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			John Burnell
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift failed to pay the California minimum wage, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment.
California Wage Meal And Rest Driver Class Action 5 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			April 5, 2012
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			James R. Rudsell
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC and Swift Transportation Company
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleging facts similar to those as set forth in the Burnell Complaint:
California Wage Meal and Rest Driver Class Action 2 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			September 25, 2014
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Lawrence Peck
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift failed to pay for all hours worked (specifically that pay-per-mile fails to compensate drivers for non-driving related services), failed to pay overtime, failed to properly reimburse work-related expenses, failed to timely pay wages, and failed to provide accurate wage statements.
California Wage Meal And Rest Driver Class Action 3 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			February 27, 2015
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Sadashiv Mares
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleging five Causes of Action arising under California state law on behalf of himself and a putative class
California Wage Meal And Rest Driver Class Action 4 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			April 15, 2015
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Rafael McKinsty et al.
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC, et al.
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges violation of California rest break laws and is similar to the Burnell, Rudsell, Peck, and Mares Complaints.
California Wage Meal And Rest Driver Class Action 6 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			October 15, 2015
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Thor Nilsen
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges violations of California law similar to the Burnell, Rudsell, Peck, Mares, and McKinsty Complaints.
California Private Attorney General Act Class Action [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			July 8, 2016
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Theron Christopher
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift violated California law by failing to timely pay wages and failing to reimburse employees for business expenses
California Wage, Meal, and Rest: Yard Hostler Class Action [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			January 28, 2016
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Grant Fritsch
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Services, LLC and Swift Transportation Company
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift failed to pay overtime and doubletime wages required by California law, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment. The Fritsch Complaint also includes a claim under the Private Attorneys General Act.
California Wage, Meal, and Rest: Yard Hostler Class Action 2 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			April 1, 2016
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Bill Barker, Tab Bachman, and William Yingling
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Company of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, failed to reimburse for business expenses, failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, and failed to timely pay wages upon separation from employment
National Customer Service Misclassification Class Action 2 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			May 11, 2016
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Salvador Castro
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges failure to pay overtime under the FLSA, as well as California state law claims including failure to pay timely final wages, failure to provide meal and rest periods, failure to pay overtime, and violation of the unfair competition
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs			5
Arizona Fair Labor Standards Act Class Action Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			December 29, 2015
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Pamela Julian
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation, Inc., et al.
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Swift violated the FLSA by failing to pay its trainee drivers minimum wage for all work performed and by failing to pay overtime.
Washington Overtime Class Action [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			September 9, 2011
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Troy Slack
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC and Swift Transportation Corporation
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that they were not paid minimum wage and overtime in accordance with Washington state law and that they suffered unlawful deductions from wages.
Washington Overtime Class Action 2 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			January 14, 2016
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Julie Hedglin
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges the class was not paid for meal and rest periods, was not paid for overtime, was not paid all wages due at established pay periods, and was not provided accurate wage statements.
Indiana Fair Credit Reporting Act Class Action Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			March 18, 2015
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Melvin Banks
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Central Refrigerated Service, Inc.
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by failing to provide job applicants with adverse action notices and copies of their consumer reports and statements of rights.
Utah Collective And Individual Arbitration 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			June 1, 2012
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Gabriel Cilluffo, Kevin Shire, and Bryan Ratterree
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Central Refrigerated Service, Inc., Central Leasing, Inc., Jon Isaacson, and Jerry Moyes
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleged that the Central Parties misclassified owner-operator drivers as independent contractors and were therefore liable to these drivers for minimum wages and other employee benefits under the FLSA. The complaint also alleged a federal forced labor claim under 18 U.S.C. § 1589 and 1595, as well as fraud and other state-law claims.
notice of arbitration sent to owner operators			3,000
Loss Contingency, Number of Named Plaintiffs			3
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs			325
Number of Arbitrators	30		30
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period | $	$ 22	$ 3
California Class and Collective Action for Pre-Employment Physical Testing [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date			October 6, 2014
Loss contingency, name of plaintiffs			Robin Anderson
Loss Contingency, Allegations			alleges that pre-employment tests of physical strength administered by a third party on behalf of Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. had an unlawfully discriminatory impact on female applicants and applicants over the age of 40.
Other environmental [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Range of possible loss | $	0.4		$ 0.4
Defendant Central Refrigerated [Member] | California Class and Collective Action for Pre-Employment Physical Testing [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Central Refrigerated Service, Inc.
Defendant Swift Transportation Company [Member] | California Class and Collective Action for Pre-Employment Physical Testing [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Swift Transportation Company
Defendant Workwell Systems [Member] | California Class and Collective Action for Pre-Employment Physical Testing [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			Workwell Systems, Inc.
Subsequent Event [Member] | Utah Collective And Individual Arbitration 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
number of drivers misclassified as contractors				1,300
Minimum [Member] | Utah Collective And Individual Arbitration 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Range of possible loss | $	3		$ 3
Maximum [Member] | Utah Collective And Individual Arbitration 1 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Range of possible loss | $	$ 69		$ 69

Derivative Financial Instrume54

Derivative Financial Instruments - Pre-tax gains and losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Loss reclassified from AOCI into net income from cash flow hedges (effective portion)	$ 0	$ 69	$ 0	$ 3,886
(Gain) loss recognized in income from de-designated derivative contracts	0	(1)	0	86
Derivative interest expense	$ 0	$ 68	$ 0	$ 3,972

Derivative Financial Instrume55

Derivative Financial Instruments - Reclassification out of AOCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Derivative interest expense	$ 0	$ 69	$ 0	$ 3,886
Income tax expense	10,292	21,274	46,275	76,842
Net income	(24,024)	(36,281)	(98,825)	(125,075)
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges Attributable to Parent [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Derivative interest expense	0	69	0	3,886
Income tax expense	0	0	0	(1,469)
Net income	$ 0	$ 69	$ 0	$ 2,417

Share Repurchase Programs (Deta

Share Repurchase Programs (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Equity, Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, shares	1,341,000	0	7,293,000	0
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, value	$ 25,000,000	$ 0	$ 115,000,000	$ 0
Amount Remaining	65,000,000		65,000,000
Repurchase Program authorized September 24, 2015 [Member]
Equity, Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Share Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, shares	0		2,221,000
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, value	$ 0		$ 30,000,000
Amount Remaining	0		0
Repurchase Program authorized February 22, 2016 [Member]
Equity, Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Share Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount	$ 150,000,000		$ 150,000,000
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, shares	1,341,000		5,072,000
Repurchase and cancellation of Class A Common Stock, value	$ 25,000,000		$ 85,000,000
Amount Remaining	$ 65,000,000		$ 65,000,000

Weighted Average Shares Outst57

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Details) - shares shares in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding Reconciliation [Abstract]
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding		132,930	142,801	134,622	142,535
Dilutive effect of stock options		1,532	1,331	1,605	1,703
Diluted weighted average diluted shares outstanding		134,462	144,132	136,227	144,238
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation	[1]	154	350	156	195
[1]	Shares were excluded from the dilutive-effect calculation because the outstanding options' exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the Company's common shares during the period.

Income Taxes (Details)

Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Effective tax rate	30.00%	37.00%	31.90%	38.10%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	36.50%	38.50%	36.50%	38.50%
Accrued interest and penalties	$ 0.4		$ 0.4		$ 1.4
change in unrecognized tax benefits is not anticipated			twelve months
Minimum [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income Tax Examination, Year under Examination			2,010
Year subject to examination			2,011
Maximum [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income Tax Examination, Year under Examination			2,015

Fair Value Measurement-Estimate

Fair Value Measurement-Estimated Fair Values (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost	[1]	$ 22,864	$ 23,215
Restricted Investments, Estimated Fair Value	[1]	22,851	23,190
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A, due July 2020, Carrying Amount		594,062	679,177
Accounts receivable securitization, due January 2019, Carrying Amount		299,196	223,927
Revolving line of credit, Carrying Amount	[2],[3]	50,000	200,000
Deferred loan costs		3,486	4,264
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A, due July 2020, Carrying Amount	[2],[4]	592,819	668,055
2015 Agreement, New Term Loan A, due July 2020, Fair Value	[4]	594,250	669,750
Deferred loan costs		1,431	1,695
2015 RSA [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Accounts receivable securitization, due January 2019, Carrying Amount	[5]	299,196	223,927
Accounts receivable securitization, due January 2019, Fair Value	[5]	300,000	225,000
Deferred loan costs		800	1,100
2015 Agreement, New Revolver [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Revolving line of credit, Carrying Amount		50,000	200,000
Revolving line of credit, Fair Value		$ 50,000	$ 200,000
[1]	Restricted investments are included in "Restricted investments, held to maturity, amortized cost."
[2]	Refer to Note 15 for information regarding the fair value of long-term debt.
[3]	The Company additionally had outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers' compensation and self-insurance liabilities of $97.0 million and $95.0 million under the New Revolver at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.
[4]	The New Term Loan A is included in "Current portion of long-term debt" and "Long-term debt, less current portion." Carrying value is net of $1.4 million and $1.7 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.
[5]	Carrying value is net of $0.8 million and $1.1 million DLCs as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Fair Value Measurement-Recurrin

Fair Value Measurement-Recurring Basis (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Recurring	$ 0	$ 0
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure, Recurring	$ 0	$ 0

Fair Value Measurement-Nonrecur

Fair Value Measurement-Nonrecurrirng Basis (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 19, 2013
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Nonrecurring	$ 0		$ 0
Note receivable						$ 2,300,000
Note receivable Total Gains (Losses)	0	$ 0	0	$ (1,480,000)
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure, Nonrecurring	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Note receivable					0
Note receivable Total Gains (Losses)		$ (1,500,000)			(1,480,000)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Note receivable					0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Note receivable					0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Note receivable					$ 0

Segments and Geography-Segment

Segments and Geography-Segment Descriptions (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	4
Segment Reporting, Description of All Other Segments	Non-reportable Segments — The non-reportable segments include the Company's logistics and freight brokerage services, as well as support services that its subsidiaries provide to customers and owner-operators, including repair and maintenance shop services, equipment leasing, and insurance. Intangible amortization related to the 2007 Transactions, certain legal settlements and reserves, and certain other corporate expenses are also included in the non-reportable segments.
Truckload [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Description of Products and Services	Truckload — The Truckload segment consists of one-way movements over irregular routes throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This service utilizes both company and owner-operator tractors with dry van, flatbed, and other specialized trailing equipment.
Dedicated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Description of Products and Services	Dedicated — Through the Dedicated segment, the Company devotes use of equipment to specific customers and offers tailored solutions under long-term contracts. This segment utilizes refrigerated, dry van, flatbed, and other specialized trailing equipment.
Swift Refrigerated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Description of Products and Services	Swift Refrigerated — This segment primarily consists of shipments for customers that require temperature-controlled trailers. These shipments include one-way movements over irregular routes, as well as dedicated truck operations.
Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Description of Products and Services	Intermodal — The Intermodal segment includes revenue generated by moving freight over the rail in the Company's containers and other trailing equipment, combined with revenue for drayage to transport loads between the railheads and customer locations.

Segments and Geography-Segmen63

Segments and Geography-Segment Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	$ 1,013,226	$ 1,064,973	$ 2,992,903	$ 3,139,521
Operating income (loss)	39,853	74,921	166,541	248,397
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	67,245	66,852	198,884	184,194
Truckload [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	516,692	552,816	1,526,807	1,646,872
Operating income (loss)	47,670	57,012	134,432	181,810
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	31,868	31,424	93,721	89,958
Dedicated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	248,798	234,517	713,923	686,505
Operating income (loss)	30,333	17,573	82,640	54,885
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	17,417	15,992	49,826	45,885
Swift Refrigerated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	85,019	93,045	256,774	286,301
Operating income (loss)	(20,250)	2,622	(15,778)	13,538
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	3,975	4,735	12,752	11,399
Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	92,260	100,966	264,874	289,827
Operating income (loss)	358	723	(1,647)	1,081
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	2,895	3,535	8,894	10,231
Subtotal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	942,769	981,344	2,762,378	2,909,505
Operating income (loss)	58,111	77,930	199,647	251,314
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	56,155	55,686	165,193	157,473
Non-reportable segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	89,740	104,176	288,303	289,667
Operating income (loss)	(18,258)	(3,009)	(33,106)	(2,917)
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	11,090	11,166	33,691	26,721
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	$ (19,283)	$ (20,547)	$ (57,778)	$ (59,651)

Segments and Geography-Geograph

Segments and Geography-Geography (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Percentages Of Foreign Operations Consolidated Revenue	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%
Long lived assets of foreign operations	5.00%		5.00%		5.00%

Jerry Moyes' Retirement (Detail

Jerry Moyes' Retirement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring and Related Activities, Initiation Date	Sep. 8, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities, Completion Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Monthly consulting fee	$ 200
One time expense for Jerry Moyes' retirement	7,100
Accrued consulting fees	6,800	$ 6,837
Impact of equity award modifications	$ 300
Income statement caption included in	"Salaries, wages, and employee benefits

Jerry Moyes' Retirement Rollfor

Jerry Moyes' Retirement Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Balance at December 31, 2015			$ 0
Additions to accrual		$ 6,800	6,837
Less: payments			0
Balance at September 30, 2016	[1]	6,837	$ 6,837
Impact of equity award modifications		$ 300
[1]	The $0.3 million impact of the equity award modification is excluded from the accrual balance because it is classified as "Additional paid-in capital" in the consolidated balance sheet.