PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014 Multiemployer pension plans ABF Freight item	Mar. 31, 2014 Central States Pension Plan ABF Freight	Jan. 02, 2013 Central States Pension Plan ABF Freight	Jan. 31, 2014 Nonunion Defined Benefit Pension Plan participant	Mar. 31, 2014 Nonunion Defined Benefit Pension Plan	Mar. 31, 2013 Nonunion Defined Benefit Pension Plan	Jan. 02, 2014 Nonunion Defined Benefit Pension Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonunion Defined Benefit Pension Plan	Mar. 31, 2014 Supplemental Benefit Plan	Mar. 31, 2013 Supplemental Benefit Plan	Mar. 31, 2014 Postretirement Health Benefit Plan	Mar. 31, 2013 Postretirement Health Benefit Plan
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Service cost							$ 2,367,000					$ 70,000	$ 83,000
Interest cost						1,720,000	1,923,000			49,000	37,000	197,000	188,000
Expected return on plan assets						(2,831,000)	(3,154,000)
Amortization of prior service credit												(47,000)	(48,000)
Pension settlement expense	3,691,000					3,691,000
Amortization of net actuarial loss						498,000	2,713,000			56,000	65,000	23,000	134,000
Net periodic benefit cost						3,078,000	3,849,000			105,000	102,000	243,000	357,000
Number of plan participants for which vested pension benefits were settled					375
Premium paid to purchase nonparticipating annuity contract					25,400,000
Pension benefit obligation settled with nonparticipating annuity contract					23,300,000
Defined Benefit Plan Lump Sum Distribution Paid						14,100,000
Pension settlement expense, net of tax	2,255,000					2,300,000
Amortization period for unrecognized net actuarial loss						8 years
Change in projected benefit obligation
Projected benefit obligation at the beginning of the period					211,660,000	211,660,000
Interest cost						1,720,000	1,923,000			49,000	37,000	197,000	188,000
Actuarial loss						8,329,000
Benefits paid						(39,878,000)
Projected benefit obligation at the end of the period						181,831,000
Changes in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period					207,613,000	207,613,000
Actual return on plan assets						2,492,000
Benefits paid						(39,878,000)
Fair value of plan assets at end of period						170,227,000
Funded status						(11,604,000)
Accumulated benefit obligation						181,831,000
Discount rate (as a percent)						3.50%			3.80%
Employer contributions						$ 0
Adjusted funding target attainment percentage								108.00%
Multiemployer Plans
Number of multiemployer plans to which ABF currently contributes		25
Maximum required increase in employer's contribution to multiemployer plans that enter reorganization status (as a percent)		7.00%
Approximate proportion of multiemployer pension plan contributions made to Central States Pension Fund (as a percent)			50.00%
Actuarially certified funded percentage of multiemployer pension plan				47.60%