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Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
9.  Commitments and Contingencies

Lease Commitments

The following is a schedule by year of future minimum payments required under operating leases for various transportation and office equipment and real estate lease commitments that have an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term as of December 31, 2011.

For the Year Ended December 31,
     
2012
  $ 584,000  
2013
    874,000  
2014
    611,000  
2015
    519,000  
2016
    481,000  
Thereafter     3,082,000  
Total
  $ 6,151,000  

Rent expense was approximately $514,000, $472,000 and $446,000 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Litigation

In the course of its business, the Company may be a party to a variety of legal actions. The Company does not currently anticipate any of these matters or any matters in the aggregate to have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s business or its financial position or results of operations.

The Company carries liability and excess umbrella insurance policies that it deems sufficient to cover potential legal claims arising in the normal course of conducting its operations as a transportation company. In the event the Company is required to satisfy a legal claim in excess of the coverage provided by this insurance, the cash flows and earnings of the Company could be negatively impacted.

     During 2008, Express-1, Inc. became involved in litigation relating to a vehicular accident involving an Express-1 vehicle.  Throughout 2009, legal discovery took place and during November of 2009 the Company received an order from the court to begin mediation.  As a result of mediation, an agreement was reached to settle the litigation for an amount in excess of the Company’s insured limits. As such, the Company recorded $400,000 in expense in the fourth quarter of 2009 that was included in sales, general and administrative expense.

Regulatory Compliance

The Company’s activities are regulated by state and federal regulatory agencies under requirements that are subject to broad interpretations. The Company cannot predict positions that may be taken by these third parties that could require changes to the manner in which the Company operates.