ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION
Financial Statement Presentation - Basis of accounting	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pertaining to interim financial information. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information or footnote disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other current filings with the Commission. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which are of a normal and recurring nature) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.
Financial Statement Presentation - Restatements and reclassifications	Certain restatements have been made to the prior year’s operating segment data to conform to the current year presentation, reflecting the realignment of the Company’s organizational structure as announced on November 3, 2016. Under the new structure, the segments previously reported as Premium Logistics (Panther), Transportation Management (ABF Logistics), and Household Goods Moving Services (ABF Moving) are consolidated as a single Asset-Light logistics operation under ArcBest. Segment revenues and expenses were adjusted to eliminate certain intercompany charges consistent with the manner in which they are reported under the new corporate structure. Certain intercompany charges among the previously reported Panther, ABF Logistics, and ABF Moving segments which were previously eliminated in the “Other and eliminations” line, are now eliminated within the ArcBest segment. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated revenues, operating expenses, operating income, or earnings per share as a result of the restatements. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year’s consolidated financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The insurance receivable for the amount of workers’ compensation and third-party casualty claims in excess of self-insurance retention limits, which was previously offset against the reserve included in accrued expenses, has been reclassed to other accounts receivable, resulting in an $8.7 million increase in other accounts receivable and a corresponding increase in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. Amounts totaling $18.6 million related to certain service centers of the Company’s Asset-Based operations previously recorded in leasehold improvements were reclassed to land and structures in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. These reclassifications were previously reported in the Company’s first quarter 2017 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The prior period impact of the reclassification of the insurance receivable is also reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2016. Other reclassifications were made to the consolidated financial statements to apply the provisions of accounting pronouncements adopted during the first quarter of 2017 related to deferred income taxes, share-based compensation, and cash flow classification (see Adopted Accounting Pronouncements within this Note). The Company’s deferred tax assets were reclassed, by jurisdiction, from current to long-term in the consolidated balance sheets. The net change in restricted cash previously presented in financing activities of the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows was removed and restricted cash was included in the reconciliation of beginning- and end-of-period totals of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Cash paid by the Company when directly withholding shares from an employee’s share-based compensation award for tax-withholding purposes was reclassified from an operating activity within changes in income taxes to a financing activity in the consolidated statements of cash flows. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated revenues, operating expenses, operating income, or earnings per share as a result of the reclassifications.
Financial Statement Presentation - Estimates	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts may differ from those estimates.
Share-Based Compensation	Share-Based Compensation: The fair value of restricted stock awards is determined based upon the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The restricted stock units generally vest at the end of a five‑year period following the date of grant, except for certain awards granted to non-employee directors that typically vest at the end of a one-year period for awards granted on or after January 1, 2016 and at the end of a three-year period for previous grants, subject to accelerated vesting due to death, disability, retirement, or change in control provisions. When restricted stock units become vested, the Company issues new shares which are subsequently distributed. Dividends or dividend equivalents are paid on certain restricted stock units during the vesting period. The Company recognizes the income tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards as income tax expense or benefit in the consolidated statements of operations when awards vest or are settled. Share based awards are amortized to compensation expense on a straight line basis over the vesting period of awards or over the period to which the recipient first becomes eligible for retirement, whichever is shorter, with vesting accelerated upon death or disability. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur.
Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted	Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) which amended Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 740 with the addition of Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. The amendment was retrospectively adopted and resulted in reclassifications to the consolidated balance sheets to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent by jurisdiction. In the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted an amendment to ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, which requires the income tax effects of awards to be recognized in the statement of operations when awards vest or are settled and allows employers to make a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur. As a result of applying the provisions of the amendment, the Company recognized a $0.2 million cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as previously disclosed in the Company’s first quarter 2017 Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q. The Company also made a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur. The Company may experience volatility in its income tax provision as a result of recording all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the income statement upon settlement of awards, which is primarily during the second quarter of each year. This provision of the amendment related to recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies was adopted prospectively; therefore, the prior period has not been adjusted for this provision. Cash paid by the Company to taxing authorities on the employee’s behalf for withheld shares was reclassified from an operating activity within changes in accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other liabilities to a financing activity in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The other provisions of the adopted amendment did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In the first quarter of 2017, the Company also adopted amendments to ASC Topic 230, Statement of Cash Flows, which provide classification guidance for restricted cash and certain cash receipts and cash payments presented in the statement of cash flows. The retrospective adoption of the amendments resulted in reclassification to the consolidated statement of cash flows to include restricted cash in the reconciliation of beginning- and end-of-period totals of cash and cash equivalents. Proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies will be classified as cash provided by investing activities, and cash payments for premiums on such insurance policies will be classified as cash used in operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows. Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted ASC Topic 606, which amends the guidance in former ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, provides a single comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers and contains principles to apply to determine the measurement of revenue and timing of when it is recognized. The standard is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. The Company is in the process of contract review and documentation in preparation for adopting the revenue recognition standard. The Company plans to adopt this standard on the modified retrospective basis and does not expect a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements. An amendment to ASC Topic 715, Compensation – Retirement Benefits will require the service cost component of net benefit cost related to benefit plans accounted for under ASC Topic 715 to be included in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the related employees and will allow only the service cost component of the net benefit cost to be eligible for capitalization of internal costs. The amendment will also require the other components of net benefit cost, including pension settlement expense, to be presented in other income (costs) rather than in operating income. The amendment is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2018. ASC Topic 718 Compensation-Stock Compensation, was amended to provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require the application of modification accounting. The amendment is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2018 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements. ASC Topic 842, Leases, which is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2019, will require leases with a term greater than twelve months to be reflected as liabilities with associated right-of-use assets in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The Company is evaluating the impact of the new standard, which is required to be adopted on the modified retrospective basis, on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Management believes that there is no other new accounting guidance issued but not yet effective that is relevant to the Company’s current financial statements.