The Company And Nature Of Operations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
The Company And Nature Of Operations [Abstract]
The Company And Nature Of Operations	(1) The Company and Nature of Operations Organization CAI International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively, CAI or the Company), is a transportation finance and logistics company. The Company purchases equipment, primarily intermodal shipping containers and railcars, which it leases to its customers. The Company also manages equipment for third-party investors. In operating its fleet, the Company leases, re-leases and disposes of equipment and contracts for the repair, repositioning and storage of equipment. The Company also provides domestic and international logistics services. The Company’s common stock, 8.50% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Stock and 8.50% Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “CAI,” “CAI-PA” and “CAI-PB,” respectively. The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in San Francisco, California. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of CAI International, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and the Company’s cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial statements to conform to the current presentation. The results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations or cash flows which may be reported for the remainder of 2019 or in any future period. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) have been condensed or omitted. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2018, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 5, 2019. Discontinued Operations In the quarter ended June 30, 2019, the Company committed to a plan to sell its railcar assets and to reallocate the capital invested in its rail business to other investments. As a result, the railcar assets have been reclassified as held for sale in the accompanying unaudited consolidated balance sheets and the operations of the rail business have been reclassified as discontinued operations in the accompanying unaudited consolidated statements of operations and cash flows. All prior periods presented in these unaudited consolidated financial statements have been restated to reflect the reclassification of the railcar business as discontinued operations and assets held for sale. See Note 3 – Discontinued Operations for more information.

(1) The Company and Nature of Operations

Organization

CAI International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively, CAI or the Company), is a transportation finance and logistics company. The Company purchases equipment, primarily intermodal shipping containers and railcars, which it leases to its customers. The Company also manages equipment for third-party investors. In operating its fleet, the Company leases, re-leases and disposes of equipment and contracts for the repair, repositioning and storage of equipment. The Company also provides domestic and international logistics services.

The Company’s common stock, 8.50% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Stock and 8.50% Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “CAI,” “CAI-PA” and “CAI-PB,” respectively. The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in San Francisco, California.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of CAI International, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and the Company’s cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial statements to conform to the current presentation. The results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations or cash flows which may be reported for the remainder of 2019 or in any future period. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) have been condensed or omitted. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2018, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 5, 2019.

Discontinued Operations

In the quarter ended June 30, 2019, the Company committed to a plan to sell its railcar assets and to reallocate the capital invested in its rail business to other investments. As a result, the railcar assets have been reclassified as held for sale in the accompanying unaudited consolidated balance sheets and the operations of the rail business have been reclassified as discontinued operations in the accompanying unaudited consolidated statements of operations and cash flows. All prior periods presented in these unaudited consolidated financial statements have been restated to reflect the reclassification of the railcar business as discontinued operations and assets held for sale. See Note 3 – Discontinued Operations for more information.