Description of the Plan - Participant Investment Account Options (Details) - ArcBest 401(k) and DC Retirement Plan	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Description of the Plan
EBP, Investment Program, Single Participation Status [Extensible Enumeration]	us-gaap-ebp:EmployeeBenefitPlanParticipantDirectedMember
ArcBest Corporation stock fund - common stock
Description of the Plan
Maximum percentage of investment in securities	10.00%
Self-directed brokerage accounts
Description of the Plan
Maximum percentage of investment in securities	25.00%

Maximum percentage of investment in securities held through an employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arcb_EmployeeBenefitPlanMaximumPercentageOfInvestmentInSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	arcb_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates participation status (nonparticipant- or participant-directed) when only one is applicable to investment program offered by employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 325
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477783/962-325-50-5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 325
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477509/962-325-45-8

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EbpInvestmentProgramSingleParticipationStatusExtensibleEnumeration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	enum2:enumerationSetItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478416/962-205-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanDescriptionOfPlanLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=arcb_EBP002Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanEmployerCommonStockFundMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanSelfDirectedBrokerageAccountMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: