Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation Forward Air Corporation's (“the Company”) services can be classified into three principal reporting segments: Forward Air, Inc. (“Forward Air”), Forward Air Solutions, Inc. (“FASI”) and Total Quality, Inc. ("TQI"). Through the Forward Air segment, the Company is a leading provider of time-definite transportation and related logistics services to the North American deferred air freight market and its activities can be classified into three categories of service: airport-to-airport, logistics, and other. Forward Air’s airport-to-airport service operates a comprehensive national network for the time-definite surface transportation of expedited ground freight. The airport-to-airport service offers customers local pick-up and delivery and scheduled surface transportation of cargo as a cost effective, reliable alternative to air transportation. Forward Air’s logistics services provide expedited truckload brokerage and dedicated fleet services. Forward Air’s other services include shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling. The Forward Air segment primarily provides its transportation services through a network of terminals located at or near airports in the United States and Canada. FASI provides pool distribution services throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest continental United States. Pool distribution involves managing high-frequency handling and distribution of time-sensitive product to numerous destinations in specific geographic regions. FASI’s primary customers for this service are regional and nationwide distributors and retailers, such as mall, strip mall and outlet based retail chains. TQI is a provider of maximum security and temperature-controlled logistics services, primarily truckload services, to the pharmaceutical and life science industries. In addition to core pharmaceutical services, TQI provides truckload and less-than-truckload brokerage transportation services. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The Company’s operating results are subject to seasonal trends when measured on a quarterly basis; therefore operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Forward Air Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include Forward Air Corporation and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Basis of Presentation

Forward Air Corporation's (“the Company”) services can be classified into three principal reporting segments: Forward Air, Inc. (“Forward Air”), Forward Air Solutions, Inc. (“FASI”) and Total Quality, Inc. ("TQI").

Through the Forward Air segment, the Company is a leading provider of time-definite transportation and related logistics services to the North American deferred air freight market and its activities can be classified into three categories of service: airport-to-airport, logistics, and other. Forward Air’s airport-to-airport service operates a comprehensive national network for the time-definite surface transportation of expedited ground freight. The airport-to-airport service offers customers local pick-up and delivery and scheduled surface transportation of cargo as a cost effective, reliable alternative to air transportation. Forward Air’s logistics services provide expedited truckload brokerage and dedicated fleet services. Forward Air’s other services include shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling. The Forward Air segment primarily provides its transportation services through a network of terminals located at or near airports in the United States and Canada.

FASI provides pool distribution services throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest continental United States. Pool distribution involves managing high-frequency handling and distribution of time-sensitive product to numerous destinations in specific geographic regions. FASI’s primary customers for this service are regional and nationwide distributors and retailers, such as mall, strip mall and outlet based retail chains.

TQI is a provider of maximum security and temperature-controlled logistics services, primarily truckload services, to the pharmaceutical and life science industries. In addition to core pharmaceutical services, TQI provides truckload and less-than-truckload brokerage transportation services.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The Company’s operating results are subject to seasonal trends when measured on a quarterly basis; therefore operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Forward Air Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include Forward Air Corporation and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.