Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the parent company, Heartland Express, Inc., and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. All material intercompany items and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Heartland Express, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all normal, recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2013 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2014. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other interim periods. There were no changes to the Company's significant accounting policies during the six month period ended June 30, 2014. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new accounting guidance, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Early application is not permitted. The new guidance permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company is evaluating the effect that the new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the parent company, Heartland Express, Inc., and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. All material intercompany items and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Heartland Express, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all normal, recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2013 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2014. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other interim periods. There were no changes to the Company's significant accounting policies during the six month period ended June 30, 2014.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new accounting guidance, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Early application is not permitted. The new guidance permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company is evaluating the effect that the new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.