Business Segments Business Segments (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Dec. 15, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets		$ 2,366.9		$ 2,366.9		$ 2,485.8
External revenue		1,236.8	1,276.4	3,681.9	3,656.5
Intersegment revenue			0	0	0
Operating income (loss)		27.3	(26.1)	(5.9)	(100.1)
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets of Disposal Group	18.5
YRC Freight [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets		1,391.0		1,391.0		1,410.0
External revenue		819.5	841.6	2,429.7	2,398.5
Intersegment revenue			0	0	0
Operating income (loss)		2.8	(16.7)	(58.4)	(61.8)
Regional Transportation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets		819.4		819.4		843.6
External revenue		417.3	404.7	1,249.0	1,171.6
Intersegment revenue			0.1	0.2	1.0
Operating income (loss)		27.2	12.4	61.6	26.0
Truckload [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets						2.7
External revenue			22.9		67.1
Intersegment revenue			3.1		9.6
Operating income (loss)			(2.7)		(10.3)
Corporate / Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets		156.5		156.5		229.5
External revenue		0	7.2	3.2	19.3
Intersegment revenue			(3.2)	(0.2)	(10.6)
Operating income (loss)		$ (2.7)	$ (19.1)	$ (9.1)	$ (54.0)