Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business	Business We are one of the largest North American less-than-truckload (“LTL”) motor carriers. We provide regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated, union-free organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, we also provide LTL services throughout North America. In addition to our core LTL services, we offer a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting. We have one operating segment and the composition of our revenue is summarized below:
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 September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the subsequent quarterly periods or the year ending December 31, 2021. 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, 2020. 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, 2020, other than those disclosed in this Form 10-Q. Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform prior years’ financial statements to the current presentation. 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.
Stock Repurchase Programs	Stock Repurchase Programs On May 1, 2020, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a two-year stock repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to an aggregate of $700.0 million of our outstanding common stock (the “2020 Repurchase Program”). The 2020 Repurchase Program became effective upon the termination of our $350.0 million repurchase program on May 29, 2020. Under our repurchase programs, we may repurchase shares from time to time in open market purchases or through privately negotiated transactions. Shares of our common stock repurchased under our repurchase programs are canceled at the time of repurchase and are classified as authorized but unissued shares of our common stock. On July 28, 2021, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a new stock repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to an aggregate of $2.0 billion of our outstanding common stock (the “2021 Repurchase Program”). The 2021 Repurchase Program, which does not have an expiration date, will begin after the completion of the 2020 Repurchase Program. On May 29, 2020, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “May 2020 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. The May 2020 ASR Agreement was settled during the fourth quarter of 2020, with the final number of shares received based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount. Under the May 2020 ASR Agreement, we repurchased 683,434 shares for $125.0 million. On February 25, 2021, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “February 2021 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. The February 2021 ASR Agreement was settled during the third quarter of 2021, with the final number of shares received based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount. Under the February 2021 ASR Agreement, we repurchased 1,101,046 shares for $275.0 million. On August 26, 2021, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “August 2021 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. Under the August 2021 ASR Agreement, we paid the third-party financial institution $250.0 million and received an initial delivery of 655,365 shares of our common stock for $187.5 million, representing approximately 75% of the total value of shares to be received by us under the August 2021 ASR Agreement. The remaining shares are expected to settle no later than the first quarter of 2022. At final settlement, we may receive additional shares of our common stock, or, under certain circumstances, we may be required to provide the third-party financial institution additional shares or may elect to make a cash payment to the third-party financial institution as part of the final settlement. The total shares repurchased will be based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount. The Company’s accelerated share repurchase agreements are each accounted for as a settled treasury stock purchase and a forward stock purchase contract. The par value of the initial share delivery is recorded as a reduction to common stock, with the excess purchase price recorded as a reduction to retained earnings. The forward stock purchase contract is accounted for as a contract indexed to our own stock and is classified within capital in excess of par value on our Condensed Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, we repurchased 796,081 shares of our common stock for $256.3 million and 2,082,598 shares of our common stock for $536.5 million under our repurchase programs, respectively, including shares repurchased under our accelerated share repurchase agreements. At September 30, 2021, our repurchase programs had $2.02 billion remaining available, including $62.5 million that is deferred until final settlement occurs on the August 2021 ASR Agreement, leaving $1.96 billion remaining available and uncommitted.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

We are one of the largest North American less-than-truckload (“LTL”) motor carriers. We provide regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated, union-free organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, we also provide LTL services throughout North America. In addition to our core LTL services, we offer a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting. We have one operating segment and the composition of our revenue is summarized below:

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 September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the subsequent quarterly periods or the year ending December 31, 2021.

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, 2020. 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, 2020, other than those disclosed in this Form 10-Q.

Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform prior years’ financial statements to the current presentation.

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.

Stock Repurchase Programs

On May 1, 2020, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a two-year stock repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to an aggregate of $700.0 million of our outstanding common stock (the “2020 Repurchase Program”). The 2020 Repurchase Program became effective upon the termination of our $350.0 million repurchase program on May 29, 2020. Under our repurchase programs, we may repurchase shares from time to time in open market purchases or through privately negotiated transactions. Shares of our common stock repurchased under our repurchase programs are canceled at the time of repurchase and are classified as authorized but unissued shares of our common stock.

On July 28, 2021, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a new stock repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to an aggregate of $2.0 billion of our outstanding common stock (the “2021 Repurchase Program”). The 2021 Repurchase Program, which does not have an expiration date, will begin after the completion of the 2020 Repurchase Program.

On May 29, 2020, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “May 2020 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. The May 2020 ASR Agreement was settled during the fourth quarter of 2020, with the final number of shares received based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount. Under the May 2020 ASR Agreement, we repurchased 683,434 shares for $125.0 million.

On February 25, 2021, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “February 2021 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. The February 2021 ASR Agreement was settled during the third quarter of 2021, with the final number of shares received based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount. Under the February 2021 ASR Agreement, we repurchased 1,101,046 shares for $275.0 million.

On August 26, 2021, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (the “August 2021 ASR Agreement”) with a third-party financial institution. Under the August 2021 ASR Agreement, we paid the third-party financial institution $250.0 million and received an initial delivery of 655,365 shares of our common stock for $187.5 million, representing approximately 75% of the total value of shares to be received by us under the August 2021 ASR Agreement. The remaining shares are expected to settle no later than the first quarter of 2022. At final settlement, we may receive additional shares of our common stock, or, under certain circumstances, we may be required to provide the third-party financial institution additional shares or may elect to make a cash payment to the third-party financial institution as part of the final settlement. The total shares repurchased will be based on the daily volume-weighted average share price of our common stock over the term of the agreement, less a negotiated discount.

The Company’s accelerated share repurchase agreements are each accounted for as a settled treasury stock purchase and a forward stock purchase contract. The par value of the initial share delivery is recorded as a reduction to common stock, with the excess purchase price recorded as a reduction to retained earnings. The forward stock purchase contract is accounted for as a contract indexed to our own stock and is classified within capital in excess of par value on our Condensed Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, we repurchased 796,081 shares of our common stock for $256.3 million and 2,082,598 shares of our common stock for $536.5 million under our repurchase programs, respectively, including shares repurchased under our accelerated share repurchase agreements. At September 30, 2021, our repurchase programs had $2.02 billion remaining available, including $62.5 million that is deferred until final settlement occurs on the August 2021 ASR Agreement, leaving $1.96 billion remaining available and uncommitted.