Segment Reporting (Operating Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations	$ 1,318,698		$ 1,377,079		$ 1,348,549		$ 1,245,627		$ 1,213,643		$ 1,270,183		$ 1,306,263		$ 1,161,911		$ 5,289,953	$ 4,952,000	$ 4,269,239
Inter-segment Revenue Eliminations																	208,847	223,683	271,157
Revenues from External Customers																	5,289,953	4,952,000	4,269,239
Operating Income (Loss)	49,942	[1]	61,125	[1]	60,165	[1]	36,696	[1]	15,837	[1]	12,501	[1]	35,432	[1]	14,400	[1]	207,928	78,170	(25,928)
Depreciation and Amortization, net of Accretion																	201,638	189,517	185,428
Capital Expenditures																	288,994	186,496	68,207
Assets	3,100,016								2,943,732								3,100,016	2,943,732	2,896,217
Freight [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations																	3,247,107	3,075,064	2,623,989
Inter-segment Revenue Eliminations																	50,543	49,027	49,689
Revenues from External Customers																	3,196,564	3,026,037	2,574,300
Operating Income (Loss)																	119,779	28,908	51,258
Depreciation and Amortization, net of Accretion																	109,875	101,391	106,733
Capital Expenditures																	146,001	127,415	13,070
Assets	1,368,249								1,331,795								1,368,249	1,331,795	1,252,588
Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations																	1,589,994	1,477,988	1,331,894
Inter-segment Revenue Eliminations																	34,572	18,768	5,881
Revenues from External Customers																	1,555,422	1,459,220	1,326,013
Operating Income (Loss)																	54,747	26,275	28,228
Depreciation and Amortization, net of Accretion																	8,783	10,328	10,619
Capital Expenditures																	10,055	5,490	10,758
Assets	315,410								291,903								315,410	291,903	282,432
Truckload [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations																	615,014	569,741	564,071
Inter-segment Revenue Eliminations																	82,849	108,631	198,949
Revenues from External Customers																	532,165	461,110	365,122
Operating Income (Loss)																	34,813	20,844	(106,971)
Depreciation and Amortization, net of Accretion																	70,003	64,109	58,891
Capital Expenditures																	131,413	51,129	42,514
Assets	791,864								720,540								791,864	720,540	732,530
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations																	46,685	52,890	20,442
Inter-segment Revenue Eliminations																	40,883	47,257	16,638
Revenues from External Customers																	5,802	5,633	3,804
Operating Income (Loss)																	(1,411)	2,143	1,557
Depreciation and Amortization, net of Accretion																	12,977	13,689	9,185
Capital Expenditures																	1,525	2,462	1,865
Assets	624,493								599,494								624,493	599,494	628,667
Inter-Segment Revenue Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues before Inter-segment Eliminations																	$ (208,847)	$ (223,683)	$ (271,157)

[1] [a] The comparability of Con-way's consolidated operating income was affected by the following unusual income or expense: - A gain of $10.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 resulting from a purchase-price adjustment to settle a dispute associated with the 2007 acquisition of Chic Logistics. - A goodwill impairment charge of $16.4 million at Menlo Worldwide Logistics in the third quarter of 2010.