ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	NOTE A — ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION ArcBest CorporationSM (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing freight transportation services and logistics solutions. The Company’s principal operations are conducted through its Freight Transportation (ABF FreightSM) segment, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The Company’s other reportable operating segments are Premium Logistics (Panther), Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet), Transportation Management (ABF LogisticsSM), and Household Goods Moving Services (ABF MovingSM). References to the Company in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. ABF Freight represented approximately 71% of the Company’s total revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations for the three months ended March 31, 2015. As of March 2015, approximately 78% of ABF Freight’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”), which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one-week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. Not all of the contract changes were effective immediately upon implementation and, therefore, expected net cost reductions will be realized over time. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of ABF Freight’s employees who are members of the IBT. Applicable rate increases for these plans were applied retroactively to August 1, 2013. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the August 1, 2013 benefit rate increase was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. The combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA is estimated to increase approximately 2.5% to 3.0% on a compounded annual basis through the end of the agreement in 2018. On January 2, 2015, the Company acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC, a privately-owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. The acquired business is primarily reported in the ABF Logistics operating segment. On April 30, 2014, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is reported within the FleetNet reporting segment for net cash consideration of $2.6 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial position, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocation of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pertaining to interim financial information. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information or footnote disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other current filings with the Commission. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which are of a normal and recurring nature) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosed amounts of contingent liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. If the underlying estimates and assumptions upon which the financial statements and accompanying notes are based change in future periods, actual amounts may differ from those included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement related to revenue recognition (ASC Topic 606), which amends the guidance in former ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition. The new standard provides a single comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers and contains principles to apply to determine the measurement of revenue and timing of when it is recognized. The new standard currently requires a January 1, 2017 effective date for the Company. The Company is evaluating the impact of the new standard on the consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 205 with the addition of Presentation of Financial Statements — Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40). The Subtopic requires an entity’s management to assess conditions and events to determine the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for each annual and interim reporting period for which financial statements are issued or available to be issued. The Subtopic is effective for the annual period ending December 31, 2016 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures. In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 835 with Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (Subtopic 835-30). The amendment adds the requirement for an entity to present debt issuance costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset and to report amortization of the debt issuance costs as interest expense. The Subtopic is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures. In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board also issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 350 with the addition of Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement (Subtopic 350-40). The amendment adds guidance on determining whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license that should be accounted for as internal-use software. If the cloud computing arrangement does not contain a software license, the agreement should be accounted for as a service contract. The Subtopic is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016, and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures. Management believes that there is no other new accounting guidance issued but not yet effective that is relevant to the Company’s current financial statements. However, there are new proposals under development by the standard setting bodies which, if and when enacted, may have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements, including the accounting for leases. As previously proposed, the lease accounting standard would require many operating leases to be reflected as liabilities with associated right-of-use assets.

NOTE A — ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

ArcBest CorporationSM (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing freight transportation services and logistics solutions. The Company’s principal operations are conducted through its Freight Transportation (ABF FreightSM) segment, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The Company’s other reportable operating segments are Premium Logistics (Panther), Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet), Transportation Management (ABF LogisticsSM), and Household Goods Moving Services (ABF MovingSM). References to the Company in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

ABF Freight represented approximately 71% of the Company’s total revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations for the three months ended March 31, 2015. As of March 2015, approximately 78% of ABF Freight’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”), which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one-week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. Not all of the contract changes were effective immediately upon implementation and, therefore, expected net cost reductions will be realized over time. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of ABF Freight’s employees who are members of the IBT. Applicable rate increases for these plans were applied retroactively to August 1, 2013. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the August 1, 2013 benefit rate increase was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. The combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA is estimated to increase approximately 2.5% to 3.0% on a compounded annual basis through the end of the agreement in 2018.

On January 2, 2015, the Company acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC, a privately-owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. The acquired business is primarily reported in the ABF Logistics operating segment. On April 30, 2014, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is reported within the FleetNet reporting segment for net cash consideration of $2.6 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial position, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocation of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pertaining to interim financial information. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information or footnote disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other current filings with the Commission. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which are of a normal and recurring nature) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

Preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosed amounts of contingent liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. If the underlying estimates and assumptions upon which the financial statements and accompanying notes are based change in future periods, actual amounts may differ from those included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement related to revenue recognition (ASC Topic 606), which amends the guidance in former ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition. The new standard provides a single comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers and contains principles to apply to determine the measurement of revenue and timing of when it is recognized. The new standard currently requires a January 1, 2017 effective date for the Company. The Company is evaluating the impact of the new standard on the consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 205 with the addition of Presentation of Financial Statements — Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40). The Subtopic requires an entity’s management to assess conditions and events to determine the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for each annual and interim reporting period for which financial statements are issued or available to be issued. The Subtopic is effective for the annual period ending December 31, 2016 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures.

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 835 with Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (Subtopic 835-30). The amendment adds the requirement for an entity to present debt issuance costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset and to report amortization of the debt issuance costs as interest expense. The Subtopic is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures.

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board also issued an accounting pronouncement to amend ASC Topic 350 with the addition of Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement (Subtopic 350-40). The amendment adds guidance on determining whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license that should be accounted for as internal-use software. If the cloud computing arrangement does not contain a software license, the agreement should be accounted for as a service contract. The Subtopic is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016, and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures.

Management believes that there is no other new accounting guidance issued but not yet effective that is relevant to the Company’s current financial statements. However, there are new proposals under development by the standard setting bodies which, if and when enacted, may have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements, including the accounting for leases. As previously proposed, the lease accounting standard would require many operating leases to be reflected as liabilities with associated right-of-use assets.