Forward Air Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Shareholders' Equity, Stock Options and Net Income per Share - Stock Option Activity (Details)

Shareholders' Equity, Stock Options and Net Income per Share - Stock Option Activity (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation	$ 6,681us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	$ 6,178us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	$ 6,050us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at beginning of year (shares)	1,732	2,874	3,363
Granted (shares)	106	118	94
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	(450)	(1,260)	(570)
Forfeited (shares)	(25)	0	(13)
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	1,363	1,732	2,874
Weighted Average Outstanding at beginning of year (per share)	$ 27	$ 26	$ 26
Weighted average exercise price for options granted in the period	$ 43	$ 38	$ 37
Weighted average exercise price for options exercised in the period	$ 28	$ 26	$ 27
Weighted average exercise price for options forfeited in the period	$ 37	$ 0	$ 29
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 28	$ 27	$ 26
Exercisable at end of year	1,160	1,514	2,487
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 26	$ 26	$ 26
Weighted-average fair value of options granted during the year (dollars per share)	$ 14	$ 14	$ 13
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised	7,259	15,477	3,924
Average aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding	24,425
Average aggregate instrinsic value for exercisable options	23,274
Share-based compensation	1,302	1,410	2,585
Tax benefit related to share-based compensation expense	497	508	713
Unrecognized compensation cost	1,632
Non-employee Director Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at beginning of year (shares)	26	29	41
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	(18)	(3)	(12)
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	8	26	29
Weighted Average Outstanding at beginning of year (per share)	$ 23	$ 23	$ 21
Weighted average exercise price for options exercised in the period	$ 22	$ 20	$ 16
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 26	$ 23	$ 23
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised	412	54	207
Average aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding and exercisable	$ 151
Non-employee Director Activity - Options [Abstract]
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding	4 months 11 days
Term of options issued under the plan	10 years
Exercise Price Range 22.47 thru 24.98 [Member] \| Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	672
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 22.66
Exercisable at end of year	672
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 22.66
Range of exercise price, lower range limit	$ 22.47
Range of exercise price, upper range limit	$ 24.98
Weighted average remaining contractual life	1 year 8 months 11 days
Exercise Price Range 28.61 thru 29.44 [Member] \| Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	401
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 28.95
Exercisable at end of year	401
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 28.95
Range of exercise price, lower range limit	$ 28.61
Range of exercise price, upper range limit	$ 29.44
Weighted average remaining contractual life	10 months 11 days
Exercise Price Range 36.55 thru 41.80 [Member] \| Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	184
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 37.03
Exercisable at end of year	87
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 36.90
Range of exercise price, lower range limit	$ 36.55
Range of exercise price, upper range limit	$ 41.80
Weighted average remaining contractual life	4 years 8 months 11 days
Exercise Price Range 42.48 thru 45.97 [Member] \| Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	106
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 43.17
Exercisable at end of year	0
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 0.00
Range of exercise price, lower range limit	$ 42.48
Range of exercise price, upper range limit	$ 45.97
Weighted average remaining contractual life	6 years 2 months 11 days
Exercise Price Range 22.47 thru 45.97 [Member] \| Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding at end of year (shares)	1,363
Weighted Average Outstanding at end of year (per share)	$ 28.05
Exercisable at end of year	1,160
Weighted average exercise price for options exercisable at year end	$ 25.91
Range of exercise price, lower range limit	$ 22.47
Range of exercise price, upper range limit	$ 45.97
Weighted average remaining contractual life	2 years 2 months 11 days