Entity Number of Employees, Weighted Average During Period

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(12))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(11))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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- Definition

The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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SEGMENT REPORTING - Summary of Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) employee	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) employee	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) employee
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 3,959,786	$ 3,784,451	$ 3,710,018	$ 3,415,125	$ 3,414,975	$ 3,355,754	$ 3,299,741	$ 3,073,943	$ 14,869,380	$ 13,144,413	$ 13,476,084
Net Revenues									2,368,050	2,277,528	2,268,480
Operating Income	210,876	$ 194,465	$ 181,820	$ 187,958	193,565	$ 211,267	$ 233,747	$ 198,952	775,119	837,531	858,310
Depreciation and amortization									92,977	74,669	66,409
Total assets	4,235,834				3,687,758				$ 4,235,834	$ 3,687,758	$ 3,184,358
Weighted Average
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Average headcount (employee) \| employee									14,687	13,670	12,902
NAST
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 10,191,200	$ 9,036,154	$ 9,239,906
Net Revenues									1,525,064	1,524,355	1,564,917
Operating Income									628,110	674,436	718,329
Depreciation and amortization									23,230	22,126	21,846
Total assets	2,277,252				2,088,611				$ 2,277,252	$ 2,088,611	$ 1,878,203
NAST \| Weighted Average
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Average headcount (employee) \| employee									6,907	6,773	6,575
Global Forwarding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 2,171,185	$ 1,604,997	$ 1,659,046
Net Revenues									485,280	397,537	365,467
Operating Income									91,842	80,931	76,081
Depreciation and amortization									33,308	23,099	20,790
Total assets	821,182				703,741				$ 821,182	$ 703,741	$ 556,606
Global Forwarding \| Weighted Average
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Average headcount (employee) \| employee									4,310	3,673	3,381
Robinson Fresh
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 2,583,032	$ 2,463,534	$ 2,484,473
Net Revenues									226,059	234,794	235,334
Operating Income									53,374	75,757	81,332
Depreciation and amortization									4,730	3,782	2,927
Total assets	434,080				376,654				$ 434,080	$ 376,654	$ 346,728
Robinson Fresh \| Weighted Average
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Average headcount (employee) \| employee									957	942	892
All Other and Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 602,017	$ 490,091	$ 474,458
Net Revenues									131,647	120,842	102,762
Operating Income									1,793	6,407	(17,432)
Depreciation and amortization									31,709	25,662	20,846
Total assets	$ 703,320				$ 518,752				$ 703,320	$ 518,752	$ 402,821
All Other and Corporate \| Weighted Average
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Average headcount (employee) \| employee									2,513	2,282	2,054
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 14,869,380	$ 13,144,413	$ 13,476,084
Operating Segments \| NAST
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									9,728,810	8,737,716	8,968,349
Operating Segments \| Global Forwarding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									2,140,987	1,574,686	1,639,944
Operating Segments \| Robinson Fresh
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									2,415,740	2,344,131	2,395,440
Operating Segments \| All Other and Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									583,843	487,880	472,351
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									(678,054)	(450,363)	(381,799)
Eliminations \| NAST
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									462,390	298,438	271,557
Eliminations \| Global Forwarding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									30,198	30,311	19,102
Eliminations \| Robinson Fresh
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									167,292	119,403	89,033
Eliminations \| All Other and Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 18,174	$ 2,211	$ 2,107