Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	9 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	Sep. 30, 2011
Significant 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 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 footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. The preparation of condensed financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles 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. The results of operations for the interim period ended September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for subsequent quarterly periods or the year ending December 31, 2011. The condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related footnotes, which appear in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. For comparability, certain reclassifications were made to conform prior-period financial statements to the current presentation. 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, 2010. 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.
Fair Values Of Financial Instruments	*Fair Values of Financial Instruments* At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the carrying values of financial instruments, such as cash and cash equivalents, customer and other receivables and trade payables, approximates their fair value due to the short maturities of these instruments. The cash surrender value relating to Company-owned life insurance contracts is included in "Other assets" on our Balance Sheets and totaled $25.3 million and $25.8 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, which approximates fair value as determined by quoted market prices. The fair value of the senior notes included in our long-term debt was estimated to be $271.0 million and $212.3 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The fair value of these senior notes is based on undiscounted cash flows at market interest rates for similar issuances of private debt.
Earnings Per Share	*Earnings Per Share* Earnings per common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.
Common Stock Split	*Common Stock Split* On July 30, 2010, our Board of Directors approved a three-for-two common stock split for shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 9, 2010. On August 23, 2010, 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 price of the 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 to reflect this stock split.

Disclosure of accounting policy for computing basic and diluted earnings or loss per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.