Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis Of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited, interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and, in management’s opinion, contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring items) necessary for a fair presentation, in all material respects, of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements.

The preparation of condensed financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions. Such estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Our operating results are subject to seasonal trends; therefore, the results of operations for the interim period ended March 31, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for subsequent quarterly periods or the year ending December 31, 2013.

The condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes, which appear in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

There have been no significant changes in the accounting principles and policies, long-term contracts or estimates inherent in the preparation of the condensed financial statements of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. as previously described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Unless the context requires otherwise, references in these Notes to “Old Dominion,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

Common Stock Split

Common Stock Split

On August 13, 2012, we announced a three-for-two common stock split for shareholders of record as of the close of business on the record date, August 24, 2012. On September 7, 2012 those shareholders received one additional share of common stock for every two shares owned. In lieu of fractional shares, shareholders received a cash payment based on the average of the high and low sales prices of our common stock on the record date.

All references in this report to shares outstanding, weighted average shares outstanding and earnings per share amounts have been restated retroactively for this stock split.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Values of Financial Instruments

The carrying values of financial instruments included in current assets and liabilities, such as cash and cash equivalents, customer and other receivables, trade payables and current maturities of long-term debt, approximate their fair value due to the short maturities of these instruments.  The carrying value of our total long-term debt, including current maturities, was $219.3 million and $240.4 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The estimated fair value of our total long-term debt was $229.5 million and $247.9 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.