Forward Air (FWRD) 10-Q 24 Apr 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_And_Entity_Informatio

Document And Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 20, 2015
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	FORWARD AIR CORP
Entity Central Index Key	912728
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		30,971,913
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash	$54,495	$41,429
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $3,394 in 2015 and $2,563 in 2014	120,473	95,326
Other current assets	21,767	13,200
Total current assets	196,735	149,955
Property and equipment	310,814	305,188
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	138,287	132,699
Total property and equipment, net	172,527	172,489
Goodwill and other acquired intangibles:
Goodwill	202,909	144,412
Other acquired intangibles, net of accumulated amortization of $42,823 in 2015 and $40,307 in 2014	140,189	72,705
Total net goodwill and other acquired intangibles	343,098	217,117
Other assets	3,027	2,244
Total assets	715,387	541,805
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	21,567	20,572
Accrued expenses	36,364	22,583
Current portion of debt and capital lease obligations	56,082	276
Total current liabilities	114,013	43,431
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, less current portion	70,897	1,275
Other long-term liabilities	17,628	8,356
Deferred income taxes	35,835	25,180
Shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value: Authorized shares - 50,000,000, Issued and outstanding shares - 30,762,282 in 2015 and 30,255,182 in 2014	308	303
Additional paid-in capital	147,445	130,107
Retained earnings	329,261	333,153
Total shareholders' equity	477,014	463,563
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$715,387	$541,805

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) Parenthetical (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Accounts receivable, allowance	$3,394	$2,563
Other acquired intangibles, accumulated amortization	$42,823	$40,307
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, issued shares (in shares)	30,762,282	30,255,182
Common stock, outstanding shares (in shares)	30,762,282	30,255,182

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Operating revenue	$205,918	$171,569
Operating expenses:
Purchased transportation	89,337	73,551
Salaries, wages and employee benefits	53,903	41,422
Operating leases	15,756	8,351
Depreciation and amortization	8,684	7,013
Insurance and claims	5,130	4,127
Fuel expense	4,020	4,806
Other operating expenses	20,839	16,028
Total operating expenses	197,669	155,298
Income from operations	8,249	16,271
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	-364	-82
Other, net	-48	86
Total other income (expense)	-412	4
Income before income taxes	7,837	16,275
Income taxes	3,000	6,073
Net income and comprehensive income	$4,837	$10,202
Net income per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$0.16	$0.33
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$0.16	$0.33
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$0.12	$0.12

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Operating activities:
Net income	$4,837	$10,202
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization	8,684	7,013
Share-based compensation	1,786	1,652
(Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment	-149	16
Provision for (recovery) loss on receivables	-19	42
Provision for revenue adjustments	907	641
Deferred income tax	3,045	132
Excess tax benefit for stock options exercised	-2,329	-637
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Accounts receivable	-2,332	-8,493
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,618	7,048
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	-9,589	2,416
Net cash provided by operating activities	7,459	20,032
Investing activities:
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment	582	79
Purchases of property and equipment	-5,229	-19,548
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	-62,323	-82,997
Other	-135	-61
Net cash used in investing activities	-67,105	-102,527
Financing activities:
Proceeds from term loan	125,000	0
Payments of debt and capital lease obligations	-59,116	-9,491
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	10,139	9,840
Payments of cash dividends	-3,714	-3,733
Cash settlement of share-based awards for minimum tax withholdings	-1,926	-1,081
Excess tax benefit for stock options exercised	2,329	637
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	72,712	-3,828
Net increase (decrease) in cash	13,066	-86,323
Cash at beginning of period	41,429	127,367
Cash at end of period	$54,495	$41,044

Basis_of_Presentation

Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation
	Forward Air Corporation's (“the Company”) services can be classified into three principal reporting segments:  Forward Air, Forward Air Solutions (“FASI”) and Total Quality, Inc. ("TQI").
	Through the Forward Air segment, the Company provide time-definite transportation and related logistics services to the North American deferred air freight market and its activities can be classified into three categories of service: airport-to-airport, logistics, and other.  Forward Air’s airport-to-airport service operates a comprehensive national network for the time-definite surface transportation of expedited ground freight. The airport-to-airport service offers customers local pick-up and delivery and scheduled surface transportation of cargo as a cost effective, reliable alternative to air transportation. Forward Air’s logistics services provide expedited truckload brokerage, intermodal drayage and dedicated fleet services. Forward Air’s other services include shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling. The Forward Air segment primarily provides its transportation services through a network of terminals located at or near airports in the United States and Canada.
	FASI provides pool distribution services throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest continental United States. Pool distribution involves managing high-frequency handling and distribution of time-sensitive product to numerous destinations in specific geographic regions. FASI’s primary customers for this service are regional and nationwide distributors and retailers, such as mall, strip mall and outlet based retail chains.
	TQI is a provider of maximum security and temperature-controlled logistics services, primarily truckload services, to the life sciences sector (pharmaceutical and biotechnology products). In addition to core pharmaceutical services and other cold chain services, TQI provides truckload and less-than-truckload brokerage transportation services.
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The Company’s operating results are subject to seasonal trends when measured on a quarterly basis; therefore operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Forward Air Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include Forward Air Corporation and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Recent_Accounting_Pronouncemen

Recent Accounting Pronouncements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements
	In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance on revenue from contracts with customers that will supersede most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The underlying principle is that an entity will recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers at an amount that the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. Other major provisions include capitalization of certain contract costs, consideration of time value of money in the transaction price, and allowing estimates of variable consideration to be recognized before contingencies are resolved in certain circumstances. The guidance also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. The guidance is effective for the interim and annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2016 (early adoption is not permitted). The guidance permits the use of either a retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company has not yet selected a transition method and is currently evaluating the impact of the amended guidance on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and related disclosures.

Acquisitions_and_Goodwill

Acquisitions and Goodwill	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Acquisitions and Goodwill	Acquisitions and Goodwill
	Acquisition of Towne
	On March 9, 2015, the Company acquired CLP Towne Inc. (“Towne”) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) resulting in Towne becoming an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. For the acquisition of Towne, the Company paid $62,323 in net cash and assumed $59,544 in debt and capital leases. With the exception of assumed capital leases, the assumed debt was immediately paid in full after funding of the acquisition. Of the total aggregate cash consideration paid, $16,500 was placed into an escrow account, with $2,000 of such amount being available to settle any shortfall in Towne’s net working capital and with $14,500 of such amount being available for a period of time to settle certain possible claims against Towne’s common stockholders for indemnification. To the extent the escrow fund is insufficient, certain equity holders have agreed to indemnify Forward Air, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Merger Agreement, as a result of inaccuracies in or breaches of certain of Towne’s representations, warranties, covenants and agreements and other matters. Forward Air financed the Merger Agreement with a $125,000 2 year term loan available under the credit facility discussed in note 5.
	Towne is a full-service trucking provider offering time-sensitive less-than-truckload shipping, full truckload service, an extensive cartage network, container freight stations and dedicated trucking. Towne’s airport-to-airport network provides scheduled deliveries to 61 service points. A fleet of approximately 525 independent contractor tractors provides the line-haul between those service points. The acquisition of Towne provides the Forward Air segment with opportunities to expand its service points and service offerings, such as pick up and delivery services. Additional benefits of the acquisition include increased linehaul network shipping density and a significant increase to our owner operator fleet, both of which are key to the profitability of Forward Air.
	Towne had 2014 revenue of approximately $230,000. The assets, liabilities, and operating results of Towne have been included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition and have been assigned to the Forward Air reportable segment. As the operations of Towne were fully integrated into the existing Forward Air network and operations, the Company is not able to provide the revenue and operating results from Towne included in our consolidated revenue and results since the date of acquisition.
	Effective with the acquisition of Towne, the Company immediately entered into a restructuring plan to remove duplicate costs, primarily in the form of, but not limited to salaries, wages and benefits and facility leases. As a result of these plans, the Company recognized expense and recorded liabilities of $2,109 and $4,664 for severance obligations and remaining net payments on vacated, duplicate facilities, respectively. The expenses associated with the severance obligations and vacated, duplicated facility costs were recognized in the salaries, wages and benefits and operating lease line items, respectively. The Company also incurred expense of $5,101 for various other integration and transaction related costs which are largely included in other operating expenses.
	Acquisition of CST
	On February 2, 2014, the Company acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Central States Trucking Co. and Central States Logistics, Inc. (collectively referred to as “CST”). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and concurrently with the execution of the Agreement, the Company acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of CST in exchange for $82,997 in net cash and $11,215 in assumed debt. With the exception of capital leases, the assumed debt was immediately paid in full after funding of the acquisition. The acquisition and settlement of the assumed debt were funded using the Company's cash on hand. Under the purchase agreement, $10,000 of the purchase price was paid into an escrow account to protect the Company against potential unknown liabilities.
	CST provides industry leading container and intermodal drayage services primarily within the Midwest region of the United States. CST also provides dedicated contract and Container Freight Station (“CFS”) warehouse and handling services. The acquisition of CST provides the Company with a scalable platform for which to enter the intermodal drayage space and thereby continuing to expand and diversify the Company's service offerings.
	As part of our strategy to scale CST's operations, in September 2014, CST acquired certain assets of Recob Great Lakes Express, Inc. ("RGL") for $1,350 and in November 2014, acquired Multi-Modal Trucking, Inc. and Multi-Modal Services, Inc. (together referred to as "MMT") for approximately $5,825 in cash and $1,000 in available earn out. The MMT earn out is based on acquired operations exceeding 2015 earnings goals, and the earn out was fully accrued as of March 31, 2015. The acquisition of RGL and MMT's assets provided an opportunity for CST to expand into additional Midwest markets.
	The Company incurred total transaction costs related to the acquisitions of approximately $900, which were expensed during the three months ended March 31, 2014, in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These transaction costs were primarily included in "Other operating expenses" in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
	The assets, liabilities, and operating results of CST, RGL and MMT ("CST acquisitions") have been included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from the dates of acquisition and have been assigned to the Forward Air reportable segment. The results of CST, RGL and MMT operations reflected in the Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from the dates of acquisition are as follows (in thousands, except per share data):
		February 2, 2014 to March 31, 2014
	Operating revenue	$	10,803
	Income from operations	4
	Net income	(5		)
	Net income per share
	Basic	$	—
	Diluted	$	—
	Allocations of Purchase Prices
	The following table presents the allocations of the Towne, CST, RGL and MMT purchase prices to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values and resulting residual goodwill (in thousands):
		Towne				CST			RGL & MMT
		9-Mar-15				2-Feb-14			September & November 2014
	Tangible assets:
	Accounts receivable	$	23,703			$	9,339		$	—
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,744				101			—
	Property and equipment	1,410				2,132			287
	Other assets	614				35			—
	Deferred income taxes	2,159				—			—
	Total tangible assets	30,630				11,607			287
	Intangible assets:
	Non-compete agreements	—				930			92
	Trade name	—				500			—
	Customer relationships	70,000				36,000			3,590
	Goodwill	58,497				51,710			4,206
	Total intangible assets	128,497				89,140			7,888
	Total assets acquired	159,127				100,747			8,175
	Liabilities assumed:
	Current liabilities	24,984				6,535			1,000
	Other liabilities	3,822				—			—
	Debt and capital lease obligations	59,544				11,215			—
	Deferred income taxes	8,454				—			—
	Total liabilities assumed	96,804				17,750			1,000
	Net assets acquired	$	62,323			$	82,997		$	7,175
	The above purchase price allocation for Towne is preliminary as the Company is still in the process of finalizing the valuation of the acquired assets and liabilities assumed. The above estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed for Towne are based on the information that was available as of the acquisition dates through the date of this filing. The acquired definite-live intangible assets have the following useful lives:
		Useful Lives
		Towne		CST		RGL
	Customer relationships	20 years		15 years		15 years
	Non-competes	-		5 years		5 years
	Trade names	-		2 years		-
	The fair value of the non-compete agreements, trade name and customer relationship assets were estimated using an income approach (level 3). Under this method, an intangible asset's fair value is equal to the present value of the incremental after-tax cash flows (excess earnings) attributable solely to the intangible asset over its remaining useful life. To calculate fair value, the Company used cash flows discounted at rates considered appropriate given the inherent risks associated with each type of asset. The Company believes that the level and timing of cash flows appropriately reflect market participant assumptions. The fair value of the acquired trade names were estimated using an income approach, specifically known as the relief from royalty method. The relief from royalty method is based on a hypothetical royalty stream that would be paid if the Company did not own the applicable names and had to license the trade names. The Company derived the hypothetical royalty income from the projected revenues of CST. Cash flows were assumed to extend through the remaining economic useful life of each class of intangible asset.
	Pro forma
	The following unaudited pro forma information presents a summary of the Company's consolidated results of operations as if the acquisitions occurred as of January 1, 2014 (in thousands, except per share data).
		Three months ended
		31-Mar-15			March 31, 2014
	Operating revenue	$	240,145		$	231,365
	Income from operations	20,138			17,833
	Net income	12,069			10,918
	Net income per share
	Basic	$	0.39		$	0.36
	Diluted	$	0.39		$	0.35
	The unaudited pro forma consolidated results for the three month periods are based on the historical financial information of Towne and CST. The unaudited pro forma consolidated results incorporate historical financial information since January 1, 2014. The historical financial information has been adjusted to give effect to pro forma adjustments that are: (i) directly attributable to the acquisition, (ii) factually supportable and (iii) expected to have a continuing impact on the combined results. The unaudited pro forma consolidated results are not necessarily indicative of what the Company’s consolidated results of operations actually would have been had it completed these acquisitions on January 1, 2014.
	Goodwill
	The following is a summary of the changes in goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Approximately $99,248 of goodwill, not including the goodwill acquired with the Towne acquisition, is deductible for tax purposes.
	Forward Air						FASI						TQI				Total
				Accumulated						Accumulated					Accumulated
	Goodwill			Impairment			Goodwill			Impairment			Goodwill		Impairment		Net
Beginning balance, December 31, 2014	$	93,842		$	—		$	12,359		$	(6,953	)	$	45,164	$	—	$	144,412
Towne acquisition	58,497			—			—			—			—		—		58,497
Ending balance, March 31, 2015	$	152,339		$	—		$	12,359		$	(6,953	)	$	45,164	$	—	$	202,909
The Company conducted its annual impairment assessments and tests of goodwill for each reporting unit as of June 30, 2014 and no impairment charges were required.  The first step of the goodwill impairment test is the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, including goodwill. When performing the qualitative assessment, the Company considers the impact of factors including, but not limited to, macroeconomic and industry conditions, overall financial performance of each reporting unit, litigation and new legislation. If based on the qualitative assessments, the Company believes it more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, or periodically as deemed appropriate by management, the Company will prepare an estimation of the respective reporting unit's fair value utilizing a quantitative approach.  If a quantitative fair value estimation is required, the Company calculates the fair value of the applicable reportable units, using a combination of discounted projected cash flows and market valuations for comparable companies as of the valuation date.  The Company's inputs into the fair value calculations for goodwill are classified within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as defined in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“the FASB Codification”). If this estimation of fair value indicates that impairment potentially exists, the Company will then measure the amount of the impairment, if any.  Goodwill impairment exists when the calculated implied fair value of goodwill is less than its carrying value.  Changes in strategy or market conditions could significantly impact these fair value estimates and require adjustments to recorded asset balances.

ShareBased_Payments

Share-Based Payments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Share-Based Payments	Share-Based Payments
	The Company’s general practice has been to make a single annual grant of share-based compensation to key employees and to make other employee grants only in connection with new employment or promotions.  Forms of share-based compensation granted to employees by the Company include stock options, non-vested shares of common stock (“non-vested share”), and performance shares.  The Company also typically makes a single annual grant of non-vested shares to non-employee directors in conjunction with the annual election of non-employee directors to the Board of Directors.  Share-based compensation is based on the grant date fair value of the instrument and is recognized, net of estimated forfeitures, ratably over the requisite service period, or vesting period. The Company estimates forfeitures based upon historical experience.  All share-based compensation expense is recognized in salaries, wages and employee benefits.
	Employee Activity - Stock Options
	Stock option grants to employees generally expire seven years from the grant date and typically vest ratably over a three-year period.  The Company used the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the grant-date fair value of options granted.  The weighted-average fair value of options granted and assumptions used to calculate their fair value during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Expected dividend yield	1		%		1.2		%
	Expected stock price volatility	33.9		%		40.6		%
	Weighted average risk-free interest rate	1.6		%		1.6		%
	Expected life of options (years)	6.1				5.4
	Weighted average grant date fair value	$	16			$	15
	The following tables summarize the Company’s employee stock option activity and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
											Weighted-
					Weighted-				Aggregate		Average
					Average				Intrinsic		Remaining
		Options			Exercise				Value		Contractual
		0			Price				0		Term
	Outstanding at December 31, 2014	1,363			$	28
	Granted	82			51
	Exercised	(481	)		27
	Forfeited	(14	)		29
	Outstanding at March 31, 2015	950			$	30			$	19,625	3.1
	Exercisable at March 31, 2015	757			$	27			$	18,515	2.3
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for options	$	336			$	314
	Tax benefit for option compensation	$	129			$	120
	Unrecognized compensation cost for options, net of estimated forfeitures	$	2,609			$	2,561
	Employee Activity - Non-vested Shares
	Non-vested share grants to employees vest ratably over a three-year period.  The non-vested shares’ fair values were estimated using closing market prices on the day of grant. The following tables summarize the Company’s employee non-vested share activity and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
					Weighted-				Aggregate
		Non-vested			Average				Grant Date
		Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
		0			Fair Value				0
	Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	190			$	40
	Granted	100			51
	Vested	(92	)		39
	Forfeited	(1	)		38
	Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	197			$	46			$	9,017
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for non-vested shares	$	988			$	925
	Tax benefit for non-vested share compensation	$	380			$	352
	Unrecognized compensation cost for non-vested shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	8,398			$	6,982
	Employee Activity - Performance Shares
	The Company annually grants performance shares to key employees.  Under the terms of the performance share agreements, on the third anniversary of the grant date, the Company will issue to the employees a calculated number of common stock shares based on the three year performance of the Company’s common stock share price as compared to the share price performance of a selected peer group.  No shares may be issued if the Company share price performance outperforms 30% or less of the peer group, but the number of shares issued may be doubled if the Company share price performs better than 90% of the peer group.  The fair value of the performance shares was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The weighted average assumptions used in the Monte Carlo calculation were as follows:
		Three months ended
		March 31,			March 31,
		2015			2014
	Expected stock price volatility	23.5	%		32.5	%
	Weighted average risk-free interest rate	1	%		0.7	%
	The following tables summarize the Company’s employee performance share activity, assuming median share awards, and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
					Weighted-				Aggregate
		Performance			Average				Grant Date
		Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
		0			Fair Value				0
	Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	74			$	44
	Granted	27			67
Additional shares awarded based on performance	—			—
Vested	(24	)		45
Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	77			$	52			$	4,016
	Three months ended
	March 31,				March 31,
	2015				2014
Shared-based compensation for performance shares	$	302			$	275
Tax benefit for performance share compensation	$	116			$	105
Unrecognized compensation cost for performance shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	2,733			$	2,048
Non-employee Director Activity - Non-vested Shares
Grants of non-vested shares to non-employee directors vest ratably over the elected term to the Board of Directors, or approximately one year.  The following tables summarize the Company’s non-employee non-vested share activity and related information:
	Three months ended March 31, 2015
				Weighted-				Aggregate
	Non-vested			Average				Grant Date
	Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
	0			Fair Value				0
Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	15			$	44
Granted	—			—
Vested	—			—
Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	15			$	44			$	650
	Three months ended
	March 31,				March 31,
	2015				2014
Shared-based compensation for non-vested shares	$	160			$	138
Tax benefit for non-vested share compensation	$	61			$	53
Unrecognized compensation cost for non-vested shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	96			$	57

Senior_Credit_Facility

Senior Credit Facility	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Senior Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	Senior Credit Facility
	On February 4, 2015, the Company entered into a five-year senior, unsecured credit facility (the “Facility”) with a maximum aggregate principal amount of $275,000, including a revolving credit facility of $150,000 and a term loan facility of $125,000. The revolving credit facility has a sublimit of $25,000 for letters of credit and a sublimit of $15,000 for swing line loans. The revolving credit facility is scheduled to expire in February 2020 and may be used to refinance existing indebtedness of the Company and for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. Unless the Company elects otherwise under the credit agreement, interest on borrowings under the Facility are based on the highest of (a) the federal funds rate plus 0.5%, (b) the administrative agent's prime rate and (c) the LIBOR Rate plus 1.0%, in each case plus a margin that can range from 0.1% to 0.6% with respect to the term loan facility and from 0.3% to 0.8% with respect to the revolving credit facility depending on the Company’s ratio of consolidated funded indebtedness to earnings as set forth in the credit agreement. The Facility contains financial covenants and other covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of the Company, without the approval of the lenders, to engage in certain mergers, consolidations, asset sales, investments, transactions or to incur liens or indebtedness, as set forth in the credit agreement. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had no borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility. At March 31, 2015, the Company had utilized $12,613 of availability for outstanding letters of credit and had $137,387 of available borrowing capacity outstanding under the revolving credit facility.
	In conjunction with the acquisition of Towne (see note 2), the Company borrowed $125,000 on the available term loan. The term loan is payable in quarterly installments of 11.1% of the original principal amount of the term loan plus accrued and unpaid interest, and matures in March 2017. The interest rate on the term loan was 1.3% at March 31, 2015.

Net_Income_Per_Share

Net Income Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income Per Share	Net Income Per Share
	The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income per share:
			Three months ended
			March 31,			March 31,
			2015			2014
	Numerator:
	Net income and comprehensive income		$	4,837		$	10,202
	Income allocated to participating securities		(33		)	—
	Numerator for basic and diluted income per share - net income		$	4,804		$	10,202
	Denominator (in thousands):
	Denominator for basic income per share - weighted-average shares		30,575			30,732
	Effect of dilutive stock options (in thousands)		365			524
	Effect of dilutive performance shares (in thousands)		41			58
	Denominator for diluted income per share - adjusted weighted-average shares		30,981			31,314
	Basic net income per share		$	0.16		$	0.33
	Diluted net income per share		$	0.16		$	0.33
	The number of instruments that could potentially dilute net income per basic share in the future, but that were not included in the computation of net income per diluted share because to do so would have been anti-dilutive for the periods presented, are as follows:
		March 31,			March 31,
		2015			2014
	Anti-dilutive stock options (in thousands)	151			160
	Anti-dilutive performance shares (in thousands)	15			14
	Total anti-dilutive shares (in thousands)	166			174

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	The Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various states and Canada. With a few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or Canadian examinations by tax authorities for years before 2010.
	For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the effective income tax rates varied from the statutory federal income tax rate of 35.0%, primarily as a result of the effect of state income taxes, net of the federal benefit, and permanent differences between book and tax net income. The combined federal and state effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was 38.3% compared to a rate of 37.3% for the same period in 2014.  The increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to 2014 benefiting from a retroactive reinstatement of alternative fuel tax credits for 2012 and higher benefits obtained from disqualified dispositions by employees of previously non-deductible incentive stock options.

Financial_Instruments

Financial Instruments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Financial Instruments, Financial Assets, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract]
Financial Instruments Disclosure [Text Block]	Financial Instruments
	Fair Value of Financial Instruments
	The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its fair value disclosures for financial instruments:
	Accounts receivable and accounts payable: The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate their fair value based on their short-term nature.
	The Company’s revolving credit facility and term loan bear variable interest rates plus additional basis points based upon covenants related to total indebtedness to earnings.  As the term loan bears a variable interest rate, the carrying value approximates fair value. Using interest rate quotes and discounted cash flows, the Company estimated the fair value of its outstanding capital lease obligations as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Carrying Value		Fair Value
	Capital leases	$	1,979	$	2,029
	The Company's fair value calculations for the above financial instruments are classified within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Shareholders_Equity

Shareholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Shareholders' Equity	Shareholders' Equity
	During each quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2015, the Company's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share of common stock. The Company expects to continue to pay regular quarterly cash dividends, though each subsequent quarterly dividend is subject to review and approval by the Board of Directors
	On February 7, 2014, our Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase authorization for up to two million shares of our common stock. There were no shares repurchased by the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. As of March 31, 2015, 1,118,021 shares remain that may be repurchased.

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies
	From time to time, the Company is party to ordinary, routine litigation incidental to and arising in the normal course of business.  The Company does not believe that any of these pending actions, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.
	The primary claims in the Company’s business relate to workers’ compensation, property damage, vehicle liability and medical benefits. Most of the Company’s insurance coverage provides for self-insurance levels with primary and excess coverage which management believes is sufficient to adequately protect the Company from catastrophic claims. In the opinion of management, adequate provision has been made for all incurred claims up to the self-insured limits, including provision for estimated claims incurred but not reported.
	The Company estimates its self-insurance loss exposure by evaluating the merits and circumstances surrounding individual known claims and by performing hindsight and actuarial analysis to determine an estimate of probable losses on claims incurred but not reported.  Such losses could be realized immediately as the events underlying the claims have already occurred as of the balance sheet dates.
	Because of the uncertainty of the ultimate resolution of outstanding claims, as well as uncertainty regarding claims incurred but not reported, it is possible that management’s provision for these losses could change materially in the near term. However, no estimate can currently be made of the range of additional loss that is at least reasonably possible.

Segment_Reporting

Segment Reporting	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting	Segment Reporting
	The Company operates in three reportable segments based on information available to and used by the chief operating decision maker.  Forward Air provides time-definite transportation and logistics services to the deferred air freight market.  FASI provides pool distribution services primarily to regional and national distributors and retailers. TQI is a provider of high security and temperature-controlled logistics services, primarily truckload services, to the pharmaceutical and life science industries. The assets, liabilities, and operating results of our most recent acquisitions, Towne and CST, have been assigned to the Forward Air reportable segment.
	The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies disclosed in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Segment data includes intersegment revenues.  Assets and costs of the corporate headquarters are allocated to the segments based on usage.  The Company evaluates the performance of its segments based on net income.  The Company’s business is conducted in the U.S. and Canada.
	The following tables summarize segment information about net income and assets used by the chief operating decision maker of the Company in making decisions regarding allocation of assets and resources as of and for three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
		Forward Air		FASI			TQI		Eliminations			Consolidated
	External revenues	$	167,651	$	27,041		$	11,226	$	—		$	205,918
	Intersegment revenues	1,053		183			37		(1,273		)	—
	Depreciation and amortization	6,155		1,582			947		—			8,684
	Share-based compensation expense	1,741		32			13		—			1,786
	Interest expense	364		—			—		—			364
	Interest income	1		—			—		—			1
	Income tax expense	2,586		79			335		—			3,000
	Net income	4,162		137			538		—			4,837
	Total assets	790,815		44,439			86,565		(206,432		)	715,387
	Capital expenditures	2,797		190			2,242		—			5,229
		Three months ended March 31, 2014
		Forward Air		FASI			TQI		Eliminations			Consolidated
	External revenues	$	133,393	$	27,222		$	10,954	$	—		$	171,569
	Intersegment revenues	793		100			107		(1,000		)	—
	Depreciation and amortization	4,942		1,278			793		—			7,013
	Share-based compensation expense	1,609		38			5		—			1,652
	Interest expense	81		1			—		—			82
	Interest income	7		—			—		—			7
	Income tax expense	5,784		(23		)	312		—			6,073
	Net income	9,599		(1		)	604		—			10,202
	Total assets	604,727		42,829			87,225		(200,214		)	534,567
	Capital expenditures	10,995		3,681			4,872		—			19,548

Acquisitions_and_Goodwill_Tabl

Acquisitions and Goodwill (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill [Line Items]
Schedule of Purchase Price Allocation [Table Text Block]	The following table presents the allocations of the Towne, CST, RGL and MMT purchase prices to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values and resulting residual goodwill (in thousands):
		Towne				CST			RGL & MMT
		9-Mar-15				2-Feb-14			September & November 2014
	Tangible assets:
	Accounts receivable	$	23,703			$	9,339		$	—
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,744				101			—
	Property and equipment	1,410				2,132			287
	Other assets	614				35			—
	Deferred income taxes	2,159				—			—
	Total tangible assets	30,630				11,607			287
	Intangible assets:
	Non-compete agreements	—				930			92
	Trade name	—				500			—
	Customer relationships	70,000				36,000			3,590
	Goodwill	58,497				51,710			4,206
	Total intangible assets	128,497				89,140			7,888
	Total assets acquired	159,127				100,747			8,175
	Liabilities assumed:
	Current liabilities	24,984				6,535			1,000
	Other liabilities	3,822				—			—
	Debt and capital lease obligations	59,544				11,215			—
	Deferred income taxes	8,454				—			—
	Total liabilities assumed	96,804				17,750			1,000
	Net assets acquired	$	62,323			$	82,997		$	7,175
Schedule of Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Table Text Block]	The acquired definite-live intangible assets have the following useful lives:
		Useful Lives
		Towne		CST		RGL
	Customer relationships	20 years		15 years		15 years
	Non-competes	-		5 years		5 years
	Trade names	-		2 years		-
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block]	The following unaudited pro forma information presents a summary of the Company's consolidated results of operations as if the acquisitions occurred as of January 1, 2014 (in thousands, except per share data).
		Three months ended
		31-Mar-15			March 31, 2014
	Operating revenue	$	240,145		$	231,365
	Income from operations	20,138			17,833
	Net income	12,069			10,918
	Net income per share
	Basic	$	0.39		$	0.36
	Diluted	$	0.39		$	0.35
Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]	The following is a summary of the changes in goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Approximately $99,248 of goodwill, not including the goodwill acquired with the Towne acquisition, is deductible for tax purposes.
		Forward Air						FASI						TQI				Total
					Accumulated						Accumulated					Accumulated
		Goodwill			Impairment			Goodwill			Impairment			Goodwill		Impairment		Net
	Beginning balance, December 31, 2014	$	93,842		$	—		$	12,359		$	(6,953	)	$	45,164	$	—	$	144,412
	Towne acquisition	58,497			—			—			—			—		—		58,497
	Ending balance, March 31, 2015	$	152,339		$	—		$	12,359		$	(6,953	)	$	45,164	$	—	$	202,909
CST [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block]	The results of CST, RGL and MMT operations reflected in the Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from the dates of acquisition are as follows (in thousands, except per share data):
		February 2, 2014 to March 31, 2014
	Operating revenue	$	10,803
	Income from operations	4
	Net income	(5		)
	Net income per share
	Basic	$	—
	Diluted	$	—

ShareBased_Payments_Tables

Share-Based Payments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Activity [Table Text Block]	The weighted-average fair value of options granted and assumptions used to calculate their fair value during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Expected dividend yield	1		%		1.2		%
	Expected stock price volatility	33.9		%		40.6		%
	Weighted average risk-free interest rate	1.6		%		1.6		%
	Expected life of options (years)	6.1				5.4
	Weighted average grant date fair value	$	16			$	15
	The following tables summarize the Company’s employee stock option activity and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
											Weighted-
					Weighted-				Aggregate		Average
					Average				Intrinsic		Remaining
		Options			Exercise				Value		Contractual
		0			Price				0		Term
	Outstanding at December 31, 2014	1,363			$	28
	Granted	82			51
	Exercised	(481	)		27
	Forfeited	(14	)		29
	Outstanding at March 31, 2015	950			$	30			$	19,625	3.1
	Exercisable at March 31, 2015	757			$	27			$	18,515	2.3
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for options	$	336			$	314
	Tax benefit for option compensation	$	129			$	120
	Unrecognized compensation cost for options, net of estimated forfeitures	$	2,609			$	2,561
Employee Non-vested Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]	The following tables summarize the Company’s employee non-vested share activity and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
					Weighted-				Aggregate
		Non-vested			Average				Grant Date
		Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
		0			Fair Value				0
	Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	190			$	40
	Granted	100			51
	Vested	(92	)		39
	Forfeited	(1	)		38
	Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	197			$	46			$	9,017
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for non-vested shares	$	988			$	925
	Tax benefit for non-vested share compensation	$	380			$	352
	Unrecognized compensation cost for non-vested shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	8,398			$	6,982
Key Employee Performance Share Based Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Performance-Based Units, Vested and Expected to Vest [Table Text Block]	The fair value of the performance shares was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The weighted average assumptions used in the Monte Carlo calculation were as follows:
		Three months ended
		March 31,			March 31,
		2015			2014
	Expected stock price volatility	23.5	%		32.5	%
	Weighted average risk-free interest rate	1	%		0.7	%
	The following tables summarize the Company’s employee performance share activity, assuming median share awards, and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
					Weighted-				Aggregate
		Performance			Average				Grant Date
		Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
		0			Fair Value				0
	Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	74			$	44
	Granted	27			67
	Additional shares awarded based on performance	—			—
	Vested	(24	)		45
	Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	77			$	52			$	4,016
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for performance shares	$	302			$	275
	Tax benefit for performance share compensation	$	116			$	105
	Unrecognized compensation cost for performance shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	2,733			$	2,048
Nonemployee Director Nonvested Shares Granted Member
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]	The following tables summarize the Company’s non-employee non-vested share activity and related information:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
					Weighted-				Aggregate
		Non-vested			Average				Grant Date
		Shares			Grant Date				Fair Value
		0			Fair Value				0
	Outstanding and non-vested at December 31, 2014	15			$	44
	Granted	—			—
	Vested	—			—
	Outstanding and non-vested at March 31, 2015	15			$	44			$	650
		Three months ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015				2014
	Shared-based compensation for non-vested shares	$	160			$	138
	Tax benefit for non-vested share compensation	$	61			$	53
	Unrecognized compensation cost for non-vested shares, net of estimated forfeitures	$	96			$	57

Net_Income_Per_Share_Tables

Net Income Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income Per Share	The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income per share:
			Three months ended
			March 31,			March 31,
			2015			2014
	Numerator:
	Net income and comprehensive income		$	4,837		$	10,202
	Income allocated to participating securities		(33		)	—
	Numerator for basic and diluted income per share - net income		$	4,804		$	10,202
	Denominator (in thousands):
	Denominator for basic income per share - weighted-average shares		30,575			30,732
	Effect of dilutive stock options (in thousands)		365			524
	Effect of dilutive performance shares (in thousands)		41			58
	Denominator for diluted income per share - adjusted weighted-average shares		30,981			31,314
	Basic net income per share		$	0.16		$	0.33
	Diluted net income per share		$	0.16		$	0.33
	The number of instruments that could potentially dilute net income per basic share in the future, but that were not included in the computation of net income per diluted share because to do so would have been anti-dilutive for the periods presented, are as follows:
		March 31,			March 31,
		2015			2014
	Anti-dilutive stock options (in thousands)	151			160
	Anti-dilutive performance shares (in thousands)	15			14
	Total anti-dilutive shares (in thousands)	166			174

Financial_Instruments_Tables

Financial Instruments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Financial Instruments, Financial Assets, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract]
Financial Instruments	Using interest rate quotes and discounted cash flows, the Company estimated the fair value of its outstanding capital lease obligations as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Carrying Value		Fair Value
	Capital leases	$	1,979	$	2,029

Segment_Reporting_Tables

Segment Reporting (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Summary of segment information	The following tables summarize segment information about net income and assets used by the chief operating decision maker of the Company in making decisions regarding allocation of assets and resources as of and for three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
		Three months ended March 31, 2015
		Forward Air		FASI			TQI		Eliminations			Consolidated
	External revenues	$	167,651	$	27,041		$	11,226	$	—		$	205,918
	Intersegment revenues	1,053		183			37		(1,273		)	—
	Depreciation and amortization	6,155		1,582			947		—			8,684
	Share-based compensation expense	1,741		32			13		—			1,786
	Interest expense	364		—			—		—			364
	Interest income	1		—			—		—			1
	Income tax expense	2,586		79			335		—			3,000
	Net income	4,162		137			538		—			4,837
	Total assets	790,815		44,439			86,565		(206,432		)	715,387
	Capital expenditures	2,797		190			2,242		—			5,229
		Three months ended March 31, 2014
		Forward Air		FASI			TQI		Eliminations			Consolidated
	External revenues	$	133,393	$	27,222		$	10,954	$	—		$	171,569
	Intersegment revenues	793		100			107		(1,000		)	—
	Depreciation and amortization	4,942		1,278			793		—			7,013
	Share-based compensation expense	1,609		38			5		—			1,652
	Interest expense	81		1			—		—			82
	Interest income	7		—			—		—			7
	Income tax expense	5,784		(23		)	312		—			6,073
	Net income	9,599		(1		)	604		—			10,202
	Total assets	604,727		42,829			87,225		(200,214		)	534,567
	Capital expenditures	10,995		3,681			4,872		—			19,548

Basis_of_Presentation_Details

Basis of Presentation (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Number of principal reporting segments	3
Forward Air number of categories of service	3

Acquisitions_and_Goodwill_Deta

Acquisitions and Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 09, 2015	Feb. 02, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 05, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	$125,000
Long-term Debt, Term	2 year
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue	240,145	231,365
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Income from Operations	20,138	17,833
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)	12,069	10,918
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic	$0.39	$0.36
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$0.39	$0.35
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	99,248
Carrying value of goodwill	202,909		144,412
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	58,497
Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid				62,323
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed	59,544
Escrow Deposit				16,500
Number of service points	61
Number of independent contractor tractors	525
Towne revenue			230,000
Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, Severance Benefits	2,109
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	5,101
Carrying value of goodwill				58,497
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount				23,703
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets				2,744
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment				1,410
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets				614
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets				2,159
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets				30,630
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles				128,497
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets				159,127
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities				24,984
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other				3,822
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt				59,544
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities				8,454
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities				96,804
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets				62,323
CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid					82,997
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed		11,215
Escrow Deposit					10,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs		900
Operating Revenue Since Acquisition Date		10,803
Operating Income Since Acquisition Date		4
Net Income Since Acquisition Date		-5
Business Combination Information, Earnings Per Share of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Basic		$0
Business Combination Information, Earnings Per Share of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Diluted		$0
Carrying value of goodwill					51,710
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount					9,339
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets					101
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment					2,132
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets					35
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets					11,607
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					89,140
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets					100,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities					6,535
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt					11,215
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities					17,750
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets					82,997
RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid						1,350
Carrying value of goodwill							4,206
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment							287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets							287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles							7,888
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets							8,175
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities							1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities							1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets							7,175
MMT [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid								5,825
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High								1,000
Forward Air [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Carrying value of goodwill	152,339		93,842
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	58,497
FASI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	-6,953		-6,953
Carrying value of goodwill	12,359		12,359
TQI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Carrying value of goodwill	45,164		45,164
Trade Names [Member] | CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	2 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					500
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					930
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill							92
Customer Relationships [Member] | Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	20 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill				70,000
Customer Relationships [Member] | CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					36,000
Customer Relationships [Member] | RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill							3,590
Towne possible net working capital shortfall [Member] | Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit				2,000
Towne potential claims [Member] | Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit				14,500
Facility Closing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	$4,664

ShareBased_Payments_Stock_Opti

Share-Based Payments - Stock Option Activity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$1,786	$1,652
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	336	314
Tax benefit related to share-based expense	129	120
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	2,609	2,561
Employee activity - stock options [Abstract]
Stock option grants expire (in years)	7 years
Grants, vesting period (in years)	3 years
Expected dividend yield (in hundredths)	1.00%	1.20%
Expected stock price volatility	33.90%	40.60%
Weighted Average Risk Free Interest Rate	1.60%	1.60%
Expected life of options (in years)	6 years 1 month 11 days	5 years 5 months 11 days
Weighted-average fair value of options (dollars per share)	$16	$15
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	1,363
Granted (in shares)	82
Exercised (in shares)	-481
Forfeited (in shares)	-14
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	950
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	757
Outstanding, beginning of period (in dollars per share)	$28
Grants in Period (in dollars per share)	$51
Exercises in Period (in dollars per share)	$27
Forfeited in period (in dollars per share)	$29
Outstanding, end of period (in dollars per share)	$30
Exercisable, end of period (in dollars per share)	$27
Aggregate Intrinsic Value Outstanding, end of period	19,625
Aggregate Intrinsic Value Exercisable, end of period	$18,515
Weighted-average remaining contractual term Outstanding, end of period (in years)	3 years 1 month 11 days
Weighted-average remaining contractual term Exercisable, end of period (in years)	2 years 3 months 11 days

ShareBased_Payments_Employee_A

Share-Based Payments - Employee Activity Non-vested Shares (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$1,786	$1,652
Employee Non-vested Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grants, vesting period (in years)	3 years
Outstanding and non-vested, beginning of period (in shares)	190
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	100
Shares Vested in Period	-92
Shares Forfeited in Period	-1
Outstanding and non-vested, end of period (in shares)	197
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, beginning of period	$40
Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$51
Vested in Period, Weighed-average grant date fair value	$39
Forfeited in period (in dollars per share)	$38
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, end of period	$46
Outstanding and non-vested, aggregate grant date fair value	9,017
Share-based compensation expense	988	925
Tax benefit related to share-based expense	380	352
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	$8,398	$6,982

ShareBased_Payments_Employee_A1

Share-Based Payments - Employee Activity Performance Shares (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$1,786	$1,652
Key Employee Performance Share Based Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Period of Share Price Performance Comparison to Peer Group	3 years
Minimum percentage of peer group by which Company share price must outperform before incremental performance shares are issued	30.00%
Percentage of Peer Group By Which Company Share Price Must Outperform Before Maximum Incremental Shares Are Issued	90.00%
Expected Stock Price Volatility Rate	23.50%	32.50%
Weighted Average Risk Free Interest Rate	1.00%	0.70%
Outstanding and non-vested, beginning of period (in shares)	74
Grants in Period	27
Additional Shares Awarded Based on Performance, Shares Issued in Period	0
Shares Vested in Period	-24
Outstanding and non-vested, end of period (in shares)	77
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, beginning of period	$44
Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$67
Stock Issued During Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$0
Vested in Period, Weighed-average grant date fair value	$45
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, end of period	$52
Outstanding and non-vested, aggregate grant date fair value	4,016
Share-based compensation expense	302	275
Tax benefit related to share-based expense	116	105
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	$2,733	$2,048

ShareBased_Payments_Nonemploye

Share-Based Payments - Non-employee Director Non-vested Shares (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-Employee Director Shares, Vesting Period (in years)	1 year
Share-based compensation expense	$1,786	$1,652
Nonemployee Director Nonvested Shares Granted Member
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding and non-vested, beginning of period (in shares)	15
Grants in Period	0
Shares Vested in Period	0
Outstanding and non-vested, end of period (in shares)	15
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, beginning of period	$44
Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$0
Vested in Period, Weighed-average grant date fair value	$0
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, end of period	$44
Outstanding and non-vested, aggregate grant date fair value	650
Share-based compensation expense	160	138
Tax benefit related to share-based expense	61	53
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	$96	$57

Senior_Credit_Facility_Details

Senior Credit Facility (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Feb. 04, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility Term, In Years		5
Senior credit facility amount		$275,000
Interest rate spread above LIBOR as of reporting period (in hundredths)	1.00%
Base reference rate of credit facilities	LIBOR
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	12,613
Available borrowing capacity	137,387
Long-term Debt, Gross	125,000
Term Loan, Quarterly Payment Percentage	11.10%
Interest Rate on Term Loan	1.30%
Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Capacity Available for Specific Purpose Other than for Trade Purchases		25,000
Swing line loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Capacity Available for Specific Purpose Other than for Trade Purchases		15,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior credit facility amount		150,000
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Minimum		0.30%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Maximum		0.80%
Federal funds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate spread above LIBOR as of reporting period (in hundredths)	0.50%
Term loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior credit facility amount		$125,000
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Minimum		0.10%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Maximum		0.60%

Net_Income_Per_Share_Details

Net Income Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Numerator [Abstract]
Net income and comprehensive income	$4,837	$10,202
Income allocated to participating securities	-33
Numerator for basic and diluted income per share - net income	$4,804	$10,202
Denominator [Abstract]
Denominator for basic income per share - weighted-average shares	30,575	30,732
Denominator for diluted income per share - adjusted weighted-average shares	30,981	31,314
Basic income per share (dollars per share)	$0.16	$0.33
Diluted income per share (dollars per share)	$0.16	$0.33
Total number anti-dilutive options, non-vested shares, and performance shares excluded from income per diluted share computation	166	174
Stock Option [Member]
Denominator [Abstract]
Effect of dilutive stock options and non-vested shares	365	524
Total number anti-dilutive options, non-vested shares, and performance shares excluded from income per diluted share computation	151	160
Key Employee Performance Share Based Plan [Member]
Denominator [Abstract]
Effect of dilutive stock options and non-vested shares	41	58
Total number anti-dilutive options, non-vested shares, and performance shares excluded from income per diluted share computation	15	14

Income_Taxes_Details

Income Taxes (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Effective statutory federal income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations	38.30%	37.30%

Financial_Instruments_Fair_Val

Financial Instruments - Fair Value (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Base reference rate of credit facilities	LIBOR
Interest rate spread above LIBOR as of reporting period (in hundredths)	1.00%
Other debt and capital leases	$2,029
Carrying Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Other debt and capital leases	$1,979

Shareholders_Equity_Details

Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Feb. 07, 2014
Shareholders' Equity [Line Items]
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$0.12	$0.12
Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased						2,000,000
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased	1,118,021
Common Stock [Member]
Shareholders' Equity [Line Items]
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$0.12	$0.12	$0.12	$0.12	$0.12

Segment_Reporting_Details

Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External revenues	$205,918	$171,569
Depreciation and amortization	8,684	7,013
Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense	1,786	1,652
Interest expense	364	82
Interest income	1	7
Income tax expense (benefit)	3,000	6,073
Net income (loss)	4,837	10,202
Total assets	715,387	534,567	541,805
Capital expenditures	5,229	19,548
Number of reportable segments	3
Forward Air [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External revenues	167,651	133,393
Intersegment revenues	1,053	793
Depreciation and amortization	6,155	4,942
Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense	1,741	1,609
Interest expense	364	81
Interest income	1	7
Income tax expense (benefit)	2,586	5,784
Net income (loss)	4,162	9,599
Total assets	790,815	604,727
Capital expenditures	2,797	10,995
FASI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External revenues	27,041	27,222
Intersegment revenues	183	100
Depreciation and amortization	1,582	1,278
Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense	32	38
Interest expense		1
Income tax expense (benefit)	79	-23
Net income (loss)	137	-1
Total assets	44,439	42,829
Capital expenditures	190	3,681
TQI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External revenues	11,226	10,954
Intersegment revenues	37	107
Depreciation and amortization	947	793
Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense	13	5
Income tax expense (benefit)	335	312
Net income (loss)	538	604
Total assets	86,565	87,225
Capital expenditures	2,242	4,872
Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	-1,273	-1,000
Total assets	($206,432)	($200,214)