Summary of Revenue by Segment and Business Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 855,557	$ 899,513	$ 1,661,416	$ 1,735,454
Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	532,928	563,067	1,041,152	1,074,301
Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	164,039	175,341	312,770	338,820
Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	158,590	161,105	307,494	322,333
Operating Segments [Member] | Hub [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	648,523	686,451	1,263,751	1,329,894
Operating Segments [Member] | Hub [Member] | Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	438,133	464,904	851,940	885,855
Operating Segments [Member] | Hub [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	83,140	93,067	164,550	182,359
Operating Segments [Member] | Hub [Member] | Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	127,250	128,480	247,261	261,680
Operating Segments [Member] | Mode LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	231,924	233,847	440,755	447,369
Operating Segments [Member] | Mode LLC [Member] | Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	116,963	118,121	229,329	228,813
Operating Segments [Member] | Mode LLC [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	81,374	82,691	148,722	157,043
Operating Segments [Member] | Mode LLC [Member] | Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	33,587	33,035	62,704	61,513
Intersegment Elims [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	(24,890)	(20,785)	(43,090)	(41,809)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	(22,168)	(19,958)	(40,117)	(40,367)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	(475)	(417)	(502)	(582)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ (2,247)	$ (410)	$ (2,471)	$ (860)