Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
Current:
Federal	$	32,090	$	51,260	$	55,227
State	5,665		6,606		6,616
Foreign	1,250		220		1,472
	39,005		58,086		63,315
Deferred:
Federal	33,912		4,503		(9,668		)
State	4,530		535		1,279
	38,442		5,038		(8,389		)
Total income tax expense	$	77,447	$	63,124	$	54,926

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

he effective income tax rate differs from the federal corporate tax rate of 35% in 2015, 2014 and 2013 as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Tax at statutory rate	$	70,406		$	56,621		$	49,599
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefits	6,627			4,641			5,132
Non-deductible meals and entertainment	1,687			1,497			1,577
Income tax credits	(1,700		)	(1,600		)	(1,574		)
Other, net	427			1,965			192
Total income tax expense	$	77,447		$	63,124		$	54,926

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

At December 31, deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2015		2014
Deferred tax assets:
Insurance and claims accruals	$	71,285	$	74,651
Allowance for uncollectible accounts	6,138		8,260
Other	16,478		14,724
Gross deferred tax assets	93,901		97,635
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	330,580		295,628
Prepaid expenses	7,229		6,913
Other	2,356		2,634
Gross deferred tax liabilities	340,165		305,175
Net deferred tax liability	$	246,264	$	207,540

Schedule of Income Tax Assets and Liabilities Financial Position

These amounts are presented in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31 as follows (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2015		2014
Current deferred tax asset	$	28,037	$	34,066
Non-current deferred tax liability	274,301		241,606
Net deferred tax liability	$	246,264	$	207,540

Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

he reconciliations of beginning and ending gross balances of unrecognized tax benefits for 2015 and 2014 are shown below (in thousands).

	December 31,
	2015			2014
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning balance	$	8,583		$	8,644
Gross increases – tax positions in prior period	229			244
Gross increases – current-period tax positions	769			745
Settlements	(1,864		)	(1,050		)
Unrecognized tax benefits, ending balance	$	7,717		$	8,583