Fuel costs incurred that are directly related to services rendered during the reporting period and the cost of materials used in services rendered during the reporting period. It also includes costs related to selling products and services, as well as other general and administrative expenses not separately disclosed in operating expenses and costs.

No definition available.

OPERATING SEGMENT DATA (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
REVENUES
Revenues	$ 664,848us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 711,295us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 658,646us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 577,904us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 578,549us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 623,414us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 576,899us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 520,687us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 2,612,693us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 2,299,549us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 2,065,999us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet
OPERATING EXPENSES
Salaries, wages, and benefits									1,231,783us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense	1,166,185us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense	1,141,064us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense
Rents, purchased transportation, and other costs of services									759,252	598,604	437,604
Fuel, supplies, and expenses									353,385arcb_FuelSuppliesAndExpenses	321,887arcb_FuelSuppliesAndExpenses	315,182arcb_FuelSuppliesAndExpenses
Depreciation and amortization									86,222	88,389	87,754
Other									112,812us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating	105,414us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating	98,963us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating
Gain on sale of property and equipment									(1,461)	(153)	(735)
Pension settlement expense									6,595	2,111
Total expenses	646,799us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	678,354us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	631,694us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	586,606us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	565,047us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	602,912us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	568,482us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	544,037us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	2,543,454us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	2,280,479us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	2,080,567us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	18,049us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	32,941us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	26,952us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(8,702)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	13,502us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	20,502us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	8,417us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(23,350)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	69,239us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	19,070us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(14,568)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
OTHER INCOME (COSTS)
Interest and dividend income									851	681	808
Interest and other related financing costs									(3,190)us-gaap_InterestAndDebtExpense	(4,183)us-gaap_InterestAndDebtExpense	(5,273)us-gaap_InterestAndDebtExpense
Other, net									3,712us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	3,893us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	2,041us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Total other income (costs)	1,591us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(385)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	419us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(253)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	393us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	502us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(552)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	47us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	1,373us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	391us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(2,424)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES									70,612	19,461	(16,992)
Operating Segments \| Freight Transportation (ABF Freight)
REVENUES
Revenues									1,930,990	1,761,716	1,701,495
OPERATING EXPENSES
Salaries, wages, and benefits									1,121,177	1,075,259	1,071,084
Fuel, supplies, and expenses									360,850	332,433	329,284
Operating taxes and licenses									46,955	43,865	43,336
Insurance									24,960	21,823	20,742
Communications and utilities									15,398	15,027	14,713
Depreciation and amortization									68,752	72,971	78,672
Rents and purchased transportation									229,443	180,689	156,810
Gain on sale of property and equipment									(1,471)	(576)	(711)
Pension settlement expense									5,309	1,831
Other									9,524	8,361	7,365
Total expenses									1,880,897	1,751,683	1,721,295
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									50,093	10,033	(19,800)
Operating Segments \| Premium Logistics (Panther)
REVENUES
Revenues									316,668	246,849	132,326
OPERATING EXPENSES
Purchased transportation									235,006	188,561	101,559
Depreciation and amortization									11,362	10,516	5,438
Salaries, benefits, insurance, and other									54,660	40,816	22,927
Total expenses									301,028	239,893	129,924
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									15,640	6,956	2,402
Operating Segments \| Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet)
REVENUES
Revenues									158,581	137,546	115,968
OPERATING EXPENSES
Depreciation and amortization									961	540	497
Total expenses									155,459	134,272	114,033
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									3,122	3,274	1,935
Operating Segments \| Transportation Management (ABF Logistics)
REVENUES
Revenues									152,632	105,223	66,431
OPERATING EXPENSES
Depreciation and amortization									1,006	640	364
Total expenses									148,797	102,250	63,418
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									3,835	2,973	3,013
Operating Segments \| Household Goods Moving Services (ABF Moving)
REVENUES
Revenues									94,628	82,169	77,619
OPERATING EXPENSES
Depreciation and amortization									1,384	1,247	769
Total expenses									91,449	80,319	76,927
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									3,179	1,850	692
Operating Segments \| Non-asset-based Segments [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES
Pension settlement expense									200
Other and eliminations
REVENUES
Revenues									(40,806)	(33,954)	(27,840)
OPERATING EXPENSES
Depreciation and amortization									2,757	2,475	2,014
Pension settlement expense									1,100	300
Total expenses									(34,176)	(27,938)	(25,030)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)									$ (6,630)	$ (6,016)	$ (2,810)