Organization, Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization, Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	1. Organization, Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Nature of Business Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (the “Company”) is headquartered in Cudahy, Wisconsin and has the following three segments: Truckload Logistics (“TL”), Less-than-Truckload (“LTL”), and Global Solutions. Within its TL business, the Company operates a network of 48 TL service centers and 24 company dispatch offices and is augmented by over 100 independent brokerage agents. Within its LTL business, the Company operates 47 LTL service centers throughout the United States, complemented by relationships with over 150 delivery agents. Within its Global Solutions business, the Company operates from seven service centers, ten dispatch offices, and four freight consolidation and inventory management centers throughout the United States. From pickup to delivery, the Company leverages relationships with a diverse group of third-party carriers to provide scalable capacity and reliable, customized service to its customers, including domestic and international air and ocean transportation services. The Company operates primarily in the United States. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In the Company's opinion, except as noted below with respect to the change in accounting principle, the change in segments, and the adjustments related to the restatement of previously issued financial statements as disclosed in Note 13, these financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the operations for the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. Change in Accounting Principle On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted a new methodology for accounting for debt issuance costs in accordance with the Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30), which requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability in the balance sheet to be presented as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The change in methodology has been applied retrospectively. The balance of the debt issuance costs has been reclassified from other noncurrent assets to a direct reduction of debt on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Segment Reporting The Company determines its segments based on the information utilized by the chief operating decision maker, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, to allocate resources and assess performance. Based on this information, the Company has determined that it has three segments: TL, LTL, and Global Solutions. In 2016, the Company realigned two of its operating companies to different existing segments based on consideration of services provided and consistent with how the business is viewed by the chief operating decision maker. The change in segments, which affected the TL and Global Solutions segments, did not have any impact on previously reported consolidated financial results, but prior year segment results have been retrospectively revised to align with the new segment structure. New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), which was updated in August 2015 by Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-08 (“ASU 2016-08”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net). Under ASU 2016-08, when another party is involved in providing goods or services to a customer, an entity is required to determine whether the nature of its promise is to provide the specified good or service (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for that good or service to be provided by another party. When the principal entity satisfies a performance obligation, the entity recognizes revenue in the gross amount. When an entity that is an agent satisfies the performance obligation, that entity recognizes revenue in the amount of any fee or commission to which it expects to be entitled. Both ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2016-08 will be effective for the Company in 2018. The Company is in the process of evaluating the guidance in these Accounting Standards Updates and has not yet determined if the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (Topic 740), which will be effective for the Company in 2017. The amendments in this update require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the statement of financial position. Under this amendment, deferred tax liabilities and assets would still be offset and presented as a single amount. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted and may either be applied prospectively or retrospectively. Deferred tax assets are currently reported as deferred income taxes and included as current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Adoption of the revised Accounting Standard will require the Company to reclassify the balance currently reported as deferred income taxes to other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will be effective for the Company in 2019. For financing leases, a lessee is required to: 1) recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments; 2) recognize interest on the lease liability separately from amortization of the right-of-use asset; and 3) classify repayments of the principal portion of the lease liability within financing activities and payments of interest on the lease liability and variable lease payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. For operating leases, a lessee is required to: 1) recognize the right-to-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments; 2) recognize a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term on a generally straight-line basis; and 3) classify all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. If a lessee makes this election, it should recognize lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company is in the process of evaluating the guidance in this Accounting Standards Update and has not yet determined if the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 will be effective for the Company in 2017 and includes simplification of the following aspects of share-based payment transactions: Accounting for income taxes - All excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies (including tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards) should be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement. The tax effects of exercised or vested awards should be treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. An entity also should recognize excess tax benefits regardless of whether the benefit reduces taxes payable in the current period. Classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flow - Excess tax benefits should be classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. Forfeitures - An entity can make an entity-wide accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest (current GAAP) or account for forfeitures when they occur. The Company expects to prospectively adopt ASU 2016-09 in January 2017. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-09 in January 2017, the Company will recognize any excess tax benefits or tax deficiencies through the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The Company has historically been able to offset excess tax benefits and/or tax deficiencies against taxes payable, so no cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings is expected upon adoption. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company will no longer present excess tax benefits and/or tax deficiencies under both operating activities and financing activities within the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for any period presented. The Company will elect to recognize forfeitures as they occur and the Company expects that the cumulative effect of adjustments to retained earnings, if any, will be de minimis.

1. Organization, Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (the “Company”) is headquartered in Cudahy, Wisconsin and has the following three segments: Truckload Logistics (“TL”), Less-than-Truckload (“LTL”), and Global Solutions. Within its TL business, the Company operates a network of 48 TL service centers and 24 company dispatch offices and is augmented by over 100 independent brokerage agents. Within its LTL business, the Company operates 47 LTL service centers throughout the United States, complemented by relationships with over 150 delivery agents. Within its Global Solutions business, the Company operates from seven service centers, ten dispatch offices, and four freight consolidation and inventory management centers throughout the United States. From pickup to delivery, the Company leverages relationships with a diverse group of third-party carriers to provide scalable capacity and reliable, customized service to its customers, including domestic and international air and ocean transportation services. The Company operates primarily in the United States.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In the Company's opinion, except as noted below with respect to the change in accounting principle, the change in segments, and the adjustments related to the restatement of previously issued financial statements as disclosed in Note 13, these financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the operations for the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

Change in Accounting Principle

On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted a new methodology for accounting for debt issuance costs in accordance with the Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30), which requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability in the balance sheet to be presented as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The change in methodology has been applied retrospectively. The balance of the debt issuance costs has been reclassified from other noncurrent assets to a direct reduction of debt on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Reporting

The Company determines its segments based on the information utilized by the chief operating decision maker, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, to allocate resources and assess performance. Based on this information, the Company has determined that it has three segments: TL, LTL, and Global Solutions. In 2016, the Company realigned two of its operating companies to different existing segments based on consideration of services provided and consistent with how the business is viewed by the chief operating decision maker. The change in segments, which affected the TL and Global Solutions segments, did not have any impact on previously reported consolidated financial results, but prior year segment results have been retrospectively revised to align with the new segment structure.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), which was updated in August 2015 by Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-08 (“ASU 2016-08”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net). Under ASU 2016-08, when another party is involved in providing goods or services to a customer, an entity is required to determine whether the nature of its promise is to provide the specified good or service (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for that good or service to be provided by another party. When the principal entity satisfies a performance obligation, the entity recognizes revenue in the gross amount. When an entity that is an agent satisfies the performance obligation, that entity recognizes revenue in the amount of any fee or commission to which it expects to be entitled. Both ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2016-08 will be effective for the Company in 2018. The Company is in the process of evaluating the guidance in these Accounting Standards Updates and has not yet determined if the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (Topic 740), which will be effective for the Company in 2017. The amendments in this update require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the statement of financial position. Under this amendment, deferred tax liabilities and assets would still be offset and presented as a single amount. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted and may either be applied prospectively or retrospectively. Deferred tax assets are currently reported as deferred income taxes and included as current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Adoption of the revised Accounting Standard will require the Company to reclassify the balance currently reported as deferred income taxes to other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will be effective for the Company in 2019. For financing leases, a lessee is required to: 1) recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments; 2) recognize interest on the lease liability separately from amortization of the right-of-use asset; and 3) classify repayments of the principal portion of the lease liability within financing activities and payments of interest on the lease liability and variable lease payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. For operating leases, a lessee is required to: 1) recognize the right-to-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments; 2) recognize a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term on a generally straight-line basis; and 3) classify all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. If a lessee makes this election, it should recognize lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company is in the process of evaluating the guidance in this Accounting Standards Update and has not yet determined if the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 will be effective for the Company in 2017 and includes simplification of the following aspects of share-based payment transactions:

Accounting for income taxes - All excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies (including tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards) should be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement. The tax effects of exercised or vested awards should be treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. An entity also should recognize excess tax benefits regardless of whether the benefit reduces taxes payable in the current period.

Classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flow - Excess tax benefits should be classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity.

Forfeitures - An entity can make an entity-wide accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest (current GAAP) or account for forfeitures when they occur.

The Company expects to prospectively adopt ASU 2016-09 in January 2017. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-09 in January 2017, the Company will recognize any excess tax benefits or tax deficiencies through the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The Company has historically been able to offset excess tax benefits and/or tax deficiencies against taxes payable, so no cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings is expected upon adoption. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company will no longer present excess tax benefits and/or tax deficiencies under both operating activities and financing activities within the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for any period presented. The Company will elect to recognize forfeitures as they occur and the Company expects that the cumulative effect of adjustments to retained earnings, if any, will be de minimis.