Forward Air Corporation Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Acquisitions and Goodwill (Details)

Acquisitions and Goodwill (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 09, 2015	Feb. 02, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 05, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	$ 125,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Long-term Debt, Term	2 year
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue	240,145	231,365
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Income from Operations	20,138	17,833
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)	12,069	10,918
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic	$ 0.39	$ 0.36
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.39	$ 0.35
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	99,248
Carrying value of goodwill	202,909us-gaap_Goodwill		144,412us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	58,497us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid				62,323
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed	59,544
Escrow Deposit				16,500
Number of service points	61
Number of independent contractor tractors	525
Towne revenue			230,000
Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, Severance Benefits	2,109
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	5,101
Carrying value of goodwill				58,497
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount				23,703
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets				2,744
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment				1,410
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets				614
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets				2,159
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets				30,630
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles				128,497
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets				159,127
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities				24,984
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other				3,822
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt				59,544
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities				8,454
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities				96,804
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets				62,323
CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid					82,997
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed		11,215
Escrow Deposit					10,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs		900
Operating Revenue Since Acquisition Date		10,803
Operating Income Since Acquisition Date		4
Net Income Since Acquisition Date		(5)
Business Combination Information, Earnings Per Share of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Basic		$ 0.00
Business Combination Information, Earnings Per Share of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Diluted		$ 0.00
Carrying value of goodwill					51,710
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount					9,339
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets					101
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment					2,132
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets					35
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets					11,607
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					89,140
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets					100,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities					6,535
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt					11,215
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities					17,750
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets					82,997
RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid						1,350
Carrying value of goodwill							4,206
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment							287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets							287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles							7,888
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets							8,175
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities							1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities							1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets							7,175
MMT [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid								5,825
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High								1,000
Forward Air [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Carrying value of goodwill	152,339		93,842
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	58,497
FASI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(6,953)		(6,953)
Carrying value of goodwill	12,359		12,359
TQI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Carrying value of goodwill	45,164		45,164
Trade Names [Member] \| CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	2 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					500
Noncompete Agreements [Member] \| CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					930
Noncompete Agreements [Member] \| RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill							92
Customer Relationships [Member] \| Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	20 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill				70,000
Customer Relationships [Member] \| CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill					36,000
Customer Relationships [Member] \| RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill							3,590
Towne possible net working capital shortfall [Member] \| Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit				2,000
Towne potential claims [Member] \| Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit				14,500
Facility Closing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	$ 4,664