Summary of Revenue by Segment and Business Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 978,560	$ 932,814	$ 855,557	$ 805,859	$ 890,272	$ 899,869	$ 899,513	$ 835,941	$ 3,572,790	$ 3,525,595	$ 3,571,126
Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									2,191,067	2,197,268	2,203,295
Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									698,500	667,992	673,231
Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									683,223	660,335	694,600
Operating Segments [Member] | Hub [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									2,734,541	2,679,318	2,722,799
Operating Segments [Member] | Mode LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									948,735	928,661	931,131
Operating Segments [Member] | Intermodal [Member] | Hub [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,785,865	1,792,046	1,815,842
Operating Segments [Member] | Intermodal [Member] | Mode LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									486,758	483,910	466,859
Operating Segments [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member] | Hub [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									391,901	355,402	338,590
Operating Segments [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member] | Mode LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									308,055	314,498	335,587
Operating Segments [Member] | Logistics [Member] | Hub [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									556,775	531,870	568,367
Operating Segments [Member] | Logistics [Member] | Mode LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									153,922	130,253	128,685
Intersegment Elims [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									(110,486)	(82,384)	(82,804)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Intermodal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									(81,556)	(78,688)	(79,406)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Truck brokerage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									(1,456)	(1,908)	(946)
Intersegment Elims [Member] | Logistics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									$ (27,474)	$ (1,788)	$ (2,452)