Business Segment Information - Financial Information Regarding Company's Operations by Geographic Area (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	$ 2,580,632	$ 2,035,579	$ 4,482,496	$ 4,055,630
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	1,831,041	1,373,884	3,117,769	2,739,821
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	501,965	469,494	958,046	936,007
Operating income		247,626	192,201	406,681	379,802
Identifiable assets at period end		3,810,177	3,646,990	3,810,177	3,646,990		$ 3,691,884
Capital expenditures		22,114	12,987	28,241	22,422
Equity		2,161,598	2,052,394	2,161,598	2,052,394	$ 2,037,145	$ 2,197,219	$ 2,125,434	$ 1,987,720
Operating Segments | United States Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	639,231	681,076	1,289,638	1,340,859
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	354,624	386,093	728,585	753,448
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	207,703	207,060	433,647	425,475
Operating income		76,904	87,923	127,406	161,936
Identifiable assets at period end		1,886,463	1,819,718	1,886,463	1,819,718
Capital expenditures		19,076	8,985	23,573	15,900
Equity		1,399,124	1,303,381	1,399,124	1,303,381
Operating Segments | Other North America Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	74,314	85,537	156,145	176,947
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	41,449	50,336	87,339	106,576
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	25,283	26,343	48,995	50,553
Operating income		7,582	8,858	19,811	19,818
Identifiable assets at period end		170,873	176,151	170,873	176,151
Capital expenditures		1,148	768	1,209	996
Equity		71,165	83,417	71,165	83,417
Operating Segments | Latin America Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	37,553	38,757	75,443	72,936
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	22,701	22,043	46,466	41,158
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	12,112	14,368	23,861	26,796
Operating income		2,740	2,346	5,116	4,982
Identifiable assets at period end		72,912	73,197	72,912	73,197
Capital expenditures		216	145	318	238
Equity		29,758	31,014	29,758	31,014
Operating Segments | North Asia Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	1,117,058	621,951	1,655,013	1,254,804
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	907,915	487,554	1,333,216	986,200
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	97,171	69,944	154,604	138,371
Operating income		111,972	64,453	167,193	130,233
Identifiable assets at period end		669,335	580,311	669,335	580,311
Capital expenditures		385	300	710	644
Equity		306,022	282,192	306,022	282,192
Operating Segments | South Asia Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	224,313	181,380	393,355	358,559
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	160,355	132,487	281,637	262,298
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	39,184	33,380	69,092	64,841
Operating income		24,774	15,513	42,626	31,420
Identifiable assets at period end		213,007	193,771	213,007	193,771
Capital expenditures		182	428	370	604
Equity		108,777	107,229	108,777	107,229
Operating Segments | Europe Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	387,430	319,331	708,070	632,021
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	271,540	220,676	493,538	436,571
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	95,757	89,340	177,611	172,183
Operating income		20,133	9,315	36,921	23,267
Identifiable assets at period end		581,988	581,518	581,988	581,518
Capital expenditures		993	1,914	1,638	2,896
Equity		168,060	168,570	168,060	168,570
Operating Segments | Middle East Africa And India Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	101,611	108,311	206,650	220,986
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	72,908	75,089	147,884	154,592
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	25,188	29,423	51,138	58,234
Operating income		3,515	3,799	7,628	8,160
Identifiable assets at period end		221,381	229,692	221,381	229,692
Capital expenditures		114	447	423	1,144
Equity		116,279	109,790	116,279	109,790
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	(878)	(764)	(1,818)	(1,482)
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	(451)	(394)	(896)	(1,022)
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	(433)	(364)	(902)	(446)
Operating income		6	(6)	(20)	(14)
Identifiable assets at period end		(5,782)	(7,368)	(5,782)	(7,368)
Equity		$ (37,587)	$ (33,199)	$ (37,587)	$ (33,199)

[1] Beginning in the second quarter of 2019, the Company revised its process to record the transfer, between its geographic operating segments, of revenues and the directly related cost of transportation and other expenses for freight service transactions between Company origin and destination locations. This change better aligns revenue reporting with the location where the services are performed, as well as the transactional reporting being developed as part of the Company’s new accounting systems and processes. The change in presentation had no impact on consolidated or segment operating income. The impact of these changes on reported segment revenues was immaterial and in the six months ended June 30, 2019, segment revenues have not been revised.

[2] Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses totals operating expenses from airfreight services, ocean freight and ocean services and customs brokerage and other services as shown in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings

[3] Salaries and other operating expenses totals salaries and related, rent and occupancy, depreciation and amortization, selling and promotion and other as shown in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings.