OPERATING SEGMENT DATA (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	$ 1,127,622us-gaap_Assets	$ 1,017,326us-gaap_Assets	$ 1,034,462us-gaap_Assets
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	90,808	26,405	75,251
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	86,222	88,389	87,754
Assets acquired through notes payable and capital leases	55,325	36	37,973
Amortization of intangibles	4,352us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	4,174us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	2,261us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Freight Transportation (ABF Freight)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
Assets acquired through notes payable and capital leases	55,300		38,000
Premium Logistics (Panther)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
Amortization of intangibles	4,200	4,200	2,300
Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
Amortization of intangibles	200
Maximum \| Freight Transportation (ABF Freight)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
Assets acquired through notes payable and capital leases		100
Operating Segments \| Freight Transportation (ABF Freight)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	621,734	530,678	550,676
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	78,766	11,091	68,235
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	68,752	72,971	78,672
Operating Segments \| Premium Logistics (Panther)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	218,135	216,747	222,280
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	6,414	3,854	1,579
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	11,362	10,516	5,438
Operating Segments \| Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	23,532	21,517	18,413
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	550	1,314	685
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	961	540	497
Operating Segments \| Transportation Management (ABF Logistics)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	37,571	27,836	15,437
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	158	286	45
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	1,006	640	364
Operating Segments \| Household Goods Moving Services (ABF Moving)
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	22,276	20,941	21,754
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	424	493	416
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	1,384	1,247	769
Other and eliminations
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
ASSETS	204,374	199,607	205,902
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, GROSS	4,496	9,367	4,291
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE	$ 2,757	$ 2,475	$ 2,014

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