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Principles Of Consolidation (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Cash and cash equivalents include demand deposits and highly liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less. Under the Company's cash management system, checks issued but not presented to banks frequently result in book overdraft balances for accounting purposes which are classified within accounts payable in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The change in book overdrafts are reported as a component of operating cash flows for accounts payable as they do not represent bank overdrafts.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other

Concentration of Credit Risks and Other

We sell services and extend credit based on an evaluation of the customer's financial condition, without requiring collateral. Exposure to losses on receivables is principally dependent on each customer's financial condition. We monitor our exposure for credit losses and maintain allowances for anticipated losses.

Revenue Recognition

For shipments in transit, we record revenue based on the percentage of service completed as of the period end and accrue delivery costs as incurred. The percentage of service completed for each shipment is based on how far along in the shipment cycle each shipment is in relation to standard transit days. Standard transit days are defined as our published service days between origin zip code and destination zip code. Based on historical cost and engineering studies, certain percentages of revenue are determined to be earned during each stage of the shipment cycle, such as initial pick up, long distance transportation, intermediate transfer and customer delivery. Using standard transit times, we analyze each shipment in transit at a particular period end to determine what stage the shipment is in. We apply that stage's percentage of revenue earned factor to the rated revenue for that shipment to determine the revenue dollars earned by that shipment in the current period. The total revenue earned is accumulated for all shipments in transit at a particular period end and recorded as operating revenue.

In addition, we recognize revenue on a gross basis because we are the primary obligors even when we use other transportation service providers who act on our behalf. We remain responsible to our customers for complete and proper shipment, including the risk of physical loss or damage of the goods and cargo claims issues. We assign pricing to bills of lading at the time of shipment based primarily on the weight, general classification of the product, the shipping destination and individual customer discounts. This process is referred to as rating. At various points throughout our process, incorrect ratings could be identified based on many factors, including weight verifications or updated customer discounts. Although the majority of rerating occurs in the same month as the original rating, a portion occurs during the following periods. We accrue a reserve for rerating based on historical trends.

Uncollectible Accounts

We record an allowance for doubtful accounts primarily based on historical uncollectible amounts. We also take into account known factors surrounding specific customers and overall collection trends. Our process involves performing ongoing credit evaluations of customers, including the market in which they operate and the overall economic conditions. We continually review historical trends and make adjustments to the allowance for doubtful accounts as appropriate. Our allowance for doubtful accounts totaled $9.8 million and $12.0 million as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Foreign Currency

Our functional currency is the U.S. dollar, whereas, our foreign operations utilize the local currency as their functional currency. Accordingly, for purposes of translating foreign subsidiary financial statements to the U.S. dollar reporting currency, assets and liabilities of our foreign operations are translated at the fiscal year end exchange rates and income and expenses are translated monthly at the average exchange rates for each respective month.

Claims and Insurance Accruals

Claims and insurance accruals, both current and long-term, reflect the estimated settlement cost of claims for workers' compensation, cargo loss and damage, and property damage and liability that insurance does not cover. We establish and modify reserve estimates for workers' compensation and property damage and liability claims primarily upon actuarial analyses prepared by independent actuaries. These reserves are discounted to present value using a risk-free rate based on the year of occurrence.

Stock Compensation Plans

We have various stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described more fully in the "Stock Compensation Plans" footnote to our consolidated financial statements. We recognize compensation costs for non-vested shares and compensation cost for all share-based payments (i.e., options) based on the grant date fair value. Additionally, we recognize compensation cost for all share-based payments granted on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (generally three to four years) based on the grant-date fair value.

Property and Equipment

We carry property and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation. We compute depreciation using the straight-line method based on the following service lives:



	Years
Structures	10 - 30
Revenue equipment	10 - 20
Technology equipment and software	3 - 7
Other	3 - 10

We charge maintenance and repairs to expense as incurred, and capitalize replacements and improvements when these costs extend the useful life of the asset. We utilize certain terminals and equipment under operating leases. Leasehold improvements are capitalized and amortized over the remaining lease term.

Our investment in technology equipment and software consists primarily of customer service and freight management equipment and related software. We have capitalized certain costs associated with developing or obtaining internal-use software

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

If facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of held-and-used identifiable amortizable intangibles and property, plant and equipment may be impaired, we perform an evaluation of recoverability in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 360. Our evaluation compares the estimated future undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset or asset group to its carrying amount to determine if a reduction to the carrying amount is required. The carrying amount of an impaired asset would be reduced to fair value if the estimated undiscounted cash flows are insufficient to recover the carrying value of the asset group.

Asset Retirement Obligations

We record estimated liabilities for the cost to return leased property to its original condition at the end of a lease term. Revisions to these liabilities for such costs may occur due to changes in the estimates for real property lease restoration costs, or changes in regulations or agreements affecting these obligations. These obligations could also include removal of underground storage tanks at leased or owned properties. Our accrual also includes amounts for restoration of U.S. federal “Superfund” sites. When we have been identified as a potentially responsible party in a Superfund site, we accrue our share of the estimated remediation costs of the site based on the ratio of the estimated volume of waste contributed to the site by us to the total volume of waste at the site.

Assets Held for Sale

When we plan to dispose of property or equipment by sale, the asset is carried in the financial statements at the lower of the carrying amount or estimated fair value, less cost to sell, and is reclassified to assets held for sale. Additionally, after such reclassification, there is no further depreciation taken on the asset. For an asset to be classified as held for sale, management must approve and commit to a formal plan, the sale should be anticipated during the ensuing year and the asset must be actively marketed, be available for immediate sale, and meet certain other specified criteria. We use level 2 and level 3 inputs to determine the fair value of each property that is considered as held for sale.

Earnings from Equity Method Investments

We account for the ownership of our joint venture under the equity method and accordingly, recognize our share of the respective joint ventures earnings in “Other nonoperating (income) expense” in the accompanying statements of operations.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

We determined fair value measurements used in our consolidated financial statements based upon the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy distinguishes between (1) market participant assumptions developed based on market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and (2) an entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions developed based on the best information available in circumstances (unobservable inputs). The fair value hierarchy consists of three broad levels, which gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:


•	Level 1: Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity has the ability to access.


•	Level 2: Valuations based on quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.


•	Level 3: Valuations based on inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

The asset's or liability's fair value measurement level with the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The valuation methodologies described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. We believe that our valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants. The use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial statements could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.