Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Landstar System, Inc. and its subsidiary Landstar System Holdings, Inc. ("LSHI"). Landstar System, Inc. and its subsidiary are herein referred to as "Landstar" or the "Company." Significant inter-company accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Estimates

Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires the use of management's estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year

Landstar's fiscal year is the 52 or 53 week period ending the last Saturday in December.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

When providing the physical transportation of freight, the Company is the primary obligor with respect to freight delivery and assumes the related credit risk. Accordingly, transportation services revenue billed to customers for the physical transportation of freight and the related direct freight expenses are recognized on a gross basis upon completion of freight delivery. In general, when providing transportation management services under a fee-for-service basis, the Company does not assume credit risk for billings related to the physical transportation of freight. Accordingly, transportation management fee revenue is recognized net of freight expenses upon completion of freight delivery. Insurance premiums of the insurance segment are recognized over the period earned, which is usually on a monthly basis. Fuel surcharges billed to customers for freight hauled by independent contractors who provide truck capacity to the Company under exclusive lease arrangements (the "BCO Independent Contractors") are excluded from revenue and paid in entirety to the BCO Independent Contractors.

Insurance Claim Costs

Insurance Claim Costs

Landstar provides, primarily on an actuarially determined basis, for the estimated costs of cargo, property, casualty, general liability and workers' compensation claims both reported and for claims incurred but not reported. Landstar retains liability for individual commercial trucking claims up to $5,000,000 per occurrence. The Company also retains liability for each general liability claim up to $1,000,000, $250,000 for each workers' compensation claim and up to $250,000 for each cargo claim.

Tires

Tires

Tires purchased as part of trailing equipment are capitalized as part of the cost of the equipment. Replacement tires are charged to expense when placed in service.

Cash And Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Included in cash and cash equivalents are all investments, except those provided for collateral, with an original maturity of 3 months or less.

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments

The Company's financial instruments include cash equivalents, short and long term investments, trade and other accounts receivable, accounts payable, other accrued liabilities, current and non-current insurance claims and long term debt plus current maturities ("Debt"). The carrying value of cash equivalents, trade and other accounts receivable, accounts payable, current insurance claims and other accrued liabilities approximate fair value as the assets and liabilities are short term in nature. Short and long term investments are carried at fair value as further described in the "Investments" footnote below. The carrying value of non-current insurance claims approximate fair value as the Company generally has the ability to, but is not required to, settle claims in a short term. The Company's Debt includes borrowings under the Company's revolving credit facility plus borrowings relating to capital lease obligations used to finance trailing equipment. The interest rates on borrowings under the revolving credit facility are typically tied to short-term LIBOR rates that adjust monthly and, as such, carrying value approximates fair value. Interest rates on borrowings under capital leases approximate the interest rates that would currently be available to the Company under similar terms and, as such, carrying value approximates fair value.

Trade And Other Receivables

Trade and Other Receivables

The allowance for doubtful accounts for both trade and other receivables represents management's estimate of the amount of outstanding receivables that will not be collected. Estimates are used to determine the allowance for doubtful accounts for both trade and other receivables and are generally based on specific identification, historical collection results, current economic trends and changes in payment terms. Following is a summary of the activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts for fiscal years ending December 31, 2011, December 25, 2010 and December 26, 2009 (in thousands):

	Balance at Beginning of  Period		Charged to Costs and Expenses		Write-offs, Net of Recoveries			Balance at End of Period
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2011
Trade receivables	$	5,324	$	4,503	$	(3,236	)	$	6,591
Other receivables		7,499		3,293		(3,024	)		7,768
Other non-current receivables		312		8		(46	)		274
	$	13,135	$	7,804	$	(6,306	)	$	14,633
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 25, 2010
Trade receivables	$	5,547	$	1,395	$	(1,618	)	$	5,324
Other receivables		6,727		2,516		(1,744	)		7,499
Other non-current receivables		319		5		(12	)		312
	$	12,593	$	3,916	$	(3,374	)	$	13,135
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 26, 2009
Trade receivables	$	6,230	$	3,801	$	(4,484	)	$	5,547
Other receivables		4,866		4,182		(2,321	)		6,727
Other non-current receivables		316		3					319
	$	11,412	$	7,986	$	(6,805	)	$	12,593

Operating Property

Operating Property

Operating property is recorded at cost. Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Buildings and improvements are being depreciated over 30 years. Trailing equipment is being depreciated over 7 years. Hardware and software included in other equipment is generally being depreciated over 3 to 7 years.

Goodwill And Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price paid over the fair value of the net assets of acquired businesses. The Company has two reporting units within the transportation logistics segment that report goodwill. The Company tests for impairment of goodwill at least annually, typically in the fourth quarter, based on a two-step impairment test. The first step compares the fair value of each reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Fair value of each reporting unit is estimated using a discounted cash flow model. The model includes a number of significant assumptions and estimates including future cash flows and discount rates. If the carrying amount exceeds fair value under the first step of the impairment test, then the second step is performed to measure the amount of any impairment loss. Only the first step of the impairment test was required in 2011 as the estimated fair value of the reporting units significantly exceeded carrying value. Other intangible assets, which consist primarily of non-contractual customer relationships, developed technology, trademarks and non-compete agreements, are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets and are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from five to ten years.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Income tax expense is equal to the current year's liability for income taxes and a provision for deferred income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for the future tax effects attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to be applied to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per common share attributable to Landstar System, Inc. and subsidiary are based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding, including outstanding non-vested restricted stock, and diluted earnings per share attributable to Landstar System, Inc. and subsidiary are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, including outstanding non-vested restricted stock, plus the incremental shares that would have been outstanding upon the assumed exercise of all dilutive stock options.

The following table provides a reconciliation of the average number of common shares outstanding used to calculate earnings per common share attributable to Landstar System, Inc. and subsidiary to the average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding used to calculate diluted earnings per share attributable to Landstar System, Inc. and subsidiary (in thousands):

	Fiscal Year
	2011		2010		2009
Average number of common shares outstanding		47,444		49,523		51,095
Incremental shares from assumed exercises of stock options		80		57		185
Average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding		47,524		49,580		51,280

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2011, December 25, 2010 and December 26, 2009, there were 220,244, 1,349,313 and 1,895,742 options outstanding, respectively, to purchase shares of Common Stock excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share attributable to Landstar System, Inc. and subsidiary because they were antidilutive.

Share-Based Payments

Share-Based Payments

The Company estimates the fair value of stock option awards on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes pricing model and recognizes compensation cost for stock option awards expected to vest on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. Forfeitures are estimated at grant date based on historical experience and anticipated employee turnover. The fair value of each share of non-vested restricted stock is based on the fair value of such share on the date of grant and compensation costs for non-vested restricted stock is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the award.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation

Assets and liabilities of the Company's Canadian operation are translated from their functional currency to U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and revenue and expense accounts are translated at average monthly exchange rates during the period. Adjustments resulting from the translation process are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. Transactional gains and losses arising from receivable and payable balances, including intercompany balances, in the normal course of business that are denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the operation are recorded in the statements of income when they occur.