Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Taxes	7. Income Taxes Con-way recognized a tax provision of $15.8 million in the first quarter of 2012 and $14.4 million in the same quarter of 2011. The first-quarter tax provision in 2011 reflects a $5.9 million charge due to the matter discussed below under "Audit Settlement." Excluding the effect of various discrete tax adjustments, the first-quarter effective tax rate increased to 38.6% in 2012 from 37.3% in 2011, primarily due to a 2011 benefit associated with a now-expired fuel-related tax credit. Other accounts receivable in the consolidated balance sheets include income tax receivables of $9.2 million and $4.8 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Audit Settlement In 2011, Con-way settled a disputed issue with the IRS that arose in the 2005 to 2007 audit cycle. This issue primarily related to the treatment and character of certain payments Con-way made to retirees and former employees of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("MWF") since the 2004 sale of MWF to United Parcel Service, Inc. Con-way and the IRS agreed in the settlement to re-characterize a portion of these payments as capital losses. The re-characterized portion may not be deducted and may be used only to offset capital gains.

Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

7. Income Taxes

Con-way recognized a tax provision of $15.8 million in the first quarter of 2012 and $14.4 million in the same quarter of 2011. The first-quarter tax provision in 2011 reflects a $5.9 million charge due to the matter discussed below under "Audit Settlement." Excluding the effect of various discrete tax adjustments, the first-quarter effective tax rate increased to 38.6% in 2012 from 37.3% in 2011, primarily due to a 2011 benefit associated with a now-expired fuel-related tax credit.

Other accounts receivable in the consolidated balance sheets include income tax receivables of $9.2 million and $4.8 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.

Audit Settlement

In 2011, Con-way settled a disputed issue with the IRS that arose in the 2005 to 2007 audit cycle. This issue primarily related to the treatment and character of certain payments Con-way made to retirees and former employees of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("MWF") since the 2004 sale of MWF to United Parcel Service, Inc. Con-way and the IRS agreed in the settlement to re-characterize a portion of these payments as capital losses. The re-characterized portion may not be deducted and may be used only to offset capital gains.