Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share-Based Payments - Non-employee Director Non-vested Shares (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Share-Based Payments - Non-employee Director Non-vested Shares (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Non-Employee Director Shares, Vesting Period (in years) 1 year  
Share-based compensation expense $ 1,786us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 1,652us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Nonemployee Director Nonvested Shares Granted Member    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Outstanding and non-vested, beginning of period (in shares) 15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Grants in Period 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Shares Vested in Period 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Outstanding and non-vested, end of period (in shares) 15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, beginning of period $ 44us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Vested in Period, Weighed-average grant date fair value $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, end of period $ 44us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Outstanding and non-vested, aggregate grant date fair value 650fwrd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingTotalGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
 
Share-based compensation expense 160us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
138us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
Tax benefit related to share-based expense 61us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
53us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures $ 96us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember
$ 57us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= fwrd_NonemployeeDirectorNonvestedSharesGrantedMember