Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization	Organization CAI International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively, CAI or the Company), is a transportation finance 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’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	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 June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company’s results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and the Company’s cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. 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 2020 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, 2019, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 5, 2020.
Immaterial Correction Of An Error	Immaterial Correction of an Error As disclosed in Note 20 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 5, 2020, the Company identified misstatements in the three months ended June 30, 2019 arising from the misclassification of certain leases. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 reflect the correction of these misstatements, which the Company has determined are immaterial to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.
Discontinued Operations	Discontinued Operations The Company committed to a plan to sell its logistics business during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The Company expects a sale to be completed before the end of 2020. As a result, the logistics assets and liabilities have been reclassified as held for sale in the accompanying unaudited consolidated balance sheets and the operations of the logistics 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 logistics business as discontinued operations and assets and liabilities held for sale. See Note 2 – Discontinued Operations for more information.
Concentration Of Credit Risk	Concentration of Credit Risk The Company’s equipment leases and trade receivables subject it to potential credit risk. The Company extends credit to its customers based upon an evaluation of each customer’s financial condition and credit history. Evaluations of the financial condition and associated credit risk of customers are performed an on ongoing basis. The Company’s largest customer and second largest customer accounted for 16% and 10%, respectively, of the Company’s total billings during both the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.
Accounting Policy Updates	‎ Accounting Policy Updates Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) (ASU 2016-13) and subsequently issued amendments. The guidance affects the Company’s net investment in finance leases, financing receivable and accounts receivable for sales of rental equipment and logistics operations. Topic 326 requires the measurement of expected credit losses to be based on relevant information from past events, including historical experiences, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect collectability. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective method, which did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements as credit losses are not expected to be significant based on historical loss trends, the financial condition of customers, and external market factors. Allowance for credit losses – Net investment in finance leases and financing receivable The allowance for credit losses on net investment in finance leases and financing receivable is estimated on a collective basis by internal customer rating (see Note 5 – Leases for descriptions of ratings). Expected credit losses for these financial assets are estimated using a loss-rate methodology which considers historical credit loss information that is adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Except as described above, there were no changes to the Company’s accounting policies during the six months ended June 30, 2020. See Note 2 to the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 5, 2020, for a description of the Company’s significant accounting policies.

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

CAI International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively, CAI or the Company), is a transportation finance 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’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

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 June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company’s results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and the Company’s cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. 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 2020 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, 2019, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 5, 2020.

Immaterial Correction Of An Error

Immaterial Correction of an Error

As disclosed in Note 20 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 5, 2020, the Company identified misstatements in the three months ended June 30, 2019 arising from the misclassification of certain leases. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 reflect the correction of these misstatements, which the Company has determined are immaterial to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

Discontinued Operations

The Company committed to a plan to sell its logistics business during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The Company expects a sale to be completed before the end of 2020. As a result, the logistics assets and liabilities have been reclassified as held for sale in the accompanying unaudited consolidated balance sheets and the operations of the logistics 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 logistics business as discontinued operations and assets and liabilities held for sale. See Note 2 – Discontinued Operations for more information.

Concentration Of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company’s equipment leases and trade receivables subject it to potential credit risk. The Company extends credit to its customers based upon an evaluation of each customer’s financial condition and credit history. Evaluations of the financial condition and associated credit risk of customers are performed an on ongoing basis. The Company’s largest customer and second largest customer accounted for 16% and 10%, respectively, of the Company’s total billings during both the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.

Accounting Policy Updates

‎

Accounting Policy Updates

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) (ASU 2016-13) and subsequently issued amendments. The guidance affects the Company’s net investment in finance leases, financing receivable and accounts receivable for sales of rental equipment and logistics operations. Topic 326 requires the measurement of expected credit losses to be based on relevant information from past events, including historical experiences, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect collectability. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective method, which did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements as credit losses are not expected to be significant based on historical loss trends, the financial condition of customers, and external market factors.

Allowance for credit losses – Net investment in finance leases and financing receivable

The allowance for credit losses on net investment in finance leases and financing receivable is estimated on a collective basis by internal customer rating (see Note 5 – Leases for descriptions of ratings). Expected credit losses for these financial assets are estimated using a loss-rate methodology which considers historical credit loss information that is adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts.

Except as described above, there were no changes to the Company’s accounting policies during the six months ended June 30, 2020. See Note 2 to the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 5, 2020, for a description of the Company’s significant accounting policies.