Question:
I'm not a newbie, but I know alot of the "old-timers" check this out to give advice to the new guys.... I'm looking for some info onWerner...are they running good, anyone have any complaints..problems with the new KW's...anything that will help me decide them or not

Answer:
As you probably know - not being a newbie - the major carriers like Werner all have more in comon than diferent. They have the same kind of customers, haul for similiar rates, use similiar equipment, schedule drivers in accordance with the same HOS....their management has even evolved with similiar organizational structures and systems.
What's diferent about Werner is their relatively radical use of technology to "black-box" every truck with elctronic logging. Folks outside Werner tend to think of this as a "logging" thing. And to the driver it is -- we log on the QualComm instead of in a paper log book. But to management, it's all about precisely tracking available hours to most effeciently match load assignments. Their ability to track your logs in real-time lets them narrow-down your next assignment as you drive. As you get close to your delivery (for example) they can precisely estimate how many miles you can squeeze into the next couple 24-hour cycles and assign your next load accordingly. This doesn't mean they work you to death -- most assignments have some extra time on them and they prefer to "pace" you to a smooth schedule, around 400-450 averge paid miles per day over each eight day stretch. But when they've got lots of freight and you've got lots of hours, they may run your 70 down pretty fast. Werner also uses this technology to do a LOT of mid-trip "swaps" and "drops". About 60% of our loads are delivered by a different driver than the one who loaded it. We move a lot of loads in trip "pieces", as they get passed to different drivers in accordance with that driver's available hours or regional area. For example -- I just run the western states, but will frequently load something on the west coast and swap it with a driver in the midwest who takes it to it's final east coast destination, etc....
I could go on and on.....but the point is: This technology is what's different about Werner. Everything else is about the same. My paychecks are consistently accurate and timely. The tractors are top-notch, especially as they buy even better new equipment, which they re-sell very quickly. I haven't heard much good about the new KWs, since they're smaller and harder to live in that the Freightliners. But they're obviously better trucks -- Paccar (Petes) with a deluxe cab/sleeper -- and nobody complains about how they drive. Our average trailer age is relatively old compared to other similiar carriers, but that's partly because Werner decided to keep most of their older trailers as they buy new ones, to increase our trailers/truck ratio. We have about three trailers for each tractor, supposedly an "industry leading" ratio, allowing us to let more dedicated customers pre-load and empty trailers without the driver sitting there. We probably do more drop/hook trips than any other major carrier, and I sure like that! Although some of our older trailers LOOK like they came out of a junk yard, closer inspection reveals sound roadworthiness. Werner keeps them working, patches the holes, keeps the brakes/tires legal, etc. We've got one of the newest average age tractor fleets, pulling one of the oldest average age trailer fleets.......
The negatives? Management is understaffed and over worked. It's hard to get someone on the phone when you need them. Dispatchers (Fleet Managers) have 60 or more drivers and can sometimes barely keep-up with their needs, especialy if they're already working a couple time-consuming problems when you've got a problem. As an organization, Werner doesn't "listen" to drivers very well. It's classic top-down management. They have a rule or procedure to cover almost any situation and, like any large organization, these procedures are sometimes difficult to navigate. It takes a while to figure out "the Werner way" and learn how to deal or work around problems. Werner management is very confident that they're fair but firm. For the most part, they are.
Werner is a public company, but is still majority owned by the Werner family, mostly by C.L. Werner, it's founder and "first driver". Actually --- he only drove a few years before figuring out how to make money without having to do the driving himself. But there's still some residual empathy for what a driver goes through on the road that trickles-down to the drivers. Werner understands that "quality of life" on the road is important to drivers, and if you use their system as intended, it can be a relatively pleasant way to put in the miles. They tend to get you home on time - most of the time - and let you take the tractor with you, etc., and treat you with basic professional respect if you communicate with them in-kind.
I think the most significent thing an experienced driver may want to consider about Werner: Are you committed to working their paperless logging, and sophiscted QualComm communications system in good faith? Play by their rules? Precisely manage your time in accordance with their expectations? Occasionally get woke-up out of a dead sleep by the QualComm and have to drive right away? If so, go for it. You could do a whole lot worse than Werner.
When it's all said and done, Werner is probably a whole lot less sleazy than other carriers. But their system and expectations are firm. There's never (rarely) any "negotiation" about anything. It's their way, or no way. Everyone - newbies and experienced old-timers - are treated the same. You do what they tell you, take the loads you're assigned (forced dispatch) and work up to the HOS legal limit when required to do so. They never hold you to running over hours or pulling illegal weight or illegal equipment (etc) but expect you to mange your time and equipment to maximize every legal opportunity. Saying you're "too tired" to drive is not looked on favorably, expecially if your logs and truck movement show plenty of legitimate sleep opportunities. Sometimes you have to grab sleep during the day to drive all night, etc.

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SHUFFLER that has to be one of if not "THE BEST" response to a inquiry about a carrier I have ever read on this site.

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I'm filling out my application right now!!

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I'm seriously considering leaving!

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Hi you all, been lurking about for awhile now, going to Werner for sure, Shuffler sure would be a good recruiter, no disrespect there Shuffler LOL, I've spoken to countless drivers, newbies and guys that have been around for awhile, rarely has anything mentioned been negative, been to the terminal here Phoenix, spoke to drivers there, had a blast. Shuffler thanx for the info, I graduate school here next month and should be in orientation on the 22nd of Mar. if everything goes well.

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Bravo Shuffler, I agree with you on every point you made. All my experiences with the companie itself is acactly like you have stated so elequotely. My problem up to this point has NOT been with the company but with a trainer who felt himself to good to follow any directions from the company. Needless to say that trainer no longer works for Werner. I stoped at his fav truckstop a few days back and talked to the waitress he usually flirts with when he is there. He has his own truck now and is no longer working for Werner. Inside Information since then has indicated he was terminated by the companies because they had recieved too many complaints from Trainees and Customers about the man. I don't know if these rumors are valid or not.

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Hey I agree... that was a good report on a carrier.
It sounds like many other corporations... a policy for everything and a "you WILL be assimilated or dumped" attitude.

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Hey Shuffler, I think you need to seriously think about working for their PR people.....that was the absolute best "profile" I have heard about a Company from a DRIVER!!!. Well Done!
Rory is my Recruiter and has told me he can have me in there as early as this monday, but I think I'll wait till the next. And I think I'm gonna try a Pete. I've driven their Freightshakers.....wanna try something different.
I didn't give out enough info when I placed this post....I worked for Werner once before the Paperless Logs and once after. I like their system. I think they now have it down to a science where as when I worked for them the second time, they had just started it and it had some bugs in it. I did talk to a team in Denver last year(May) on how they were running and they couldn't say anything bad..they were running the way they wanted to run. That was good...and I haven't heard anything bad about them since.
Thanks!

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I have had Warner in my class recruting every month, really have no problems with them, the only thing I do have a problem with is there paperless logs, they oversell the fact, that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
One thing that I find amazing is how drivers rely on the system, so that they allow the logging to be compltely controlled by the company. Most drivers do not understand that if the system makes a mistake, it is the drivers responsibility to correct. not the company's, Also, by the time you audit your own logs, for the previous days, you can just as easily do a paper log, any diriver worth there salt can whip out one just as fast. So who is kidding who on saving time?
It is just an excuse to allow the company to take over your log book, it is your book not theirs. And the only post I have an objection to, is that you have to drive if your tired and warner's logs show that you have had rest.
Everyone's fatigued factor is different. I have been in the sleeper for 10hr. and drove 2hr. and been so sleepy that I could not hold my head up. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations State that if your fatigued your to stop operating that truck and relieve your fatigue . The unsafe operation of that vehicle is prohibited period. So driving while fatigued is a violation and any carrier that forces you to drive in a fatigue state, is in violation of the FMCSR's. The way to slove that is to put on the Qualquam that your fatigued and your shuting down. Do not let your carrier talk you into calling them, make them tell u on the Satilite that your going to drive that vehicle fatigued.
The Qualquam system has been used successfully by DOT in finding carrier's on violations of the FMCSR's
Be safe out there.
Catch you on the flip!

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This is interesting. My carrier sends messages warning about open scale houses and such. I have never had a DOT officer check my Qualcom, but I would immagine they would find this sort of message disturbing.
These type of messages seem like yet another indication of the "schizophrenic" nature of carriers. Run, "Safe & Legal", and while your doing so, watch out for the open scale house ahead??

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I too find this fatigue issue mentioned in the post disturbing. This is one of the main reasons why I drive for the carrier I'm with. Their very flexible on delivery times to avoid fatigue and sleep depravation. Safety in this regard to driving tired is rather strict with our safety dept.
On the other hand, a driver cannot goof off at the T/S's either with this company. Your responsible for a certain level of time management here too. The vast majority of drivers in our fleet are older drivers in their 40's , 50's and 60's. I'm 53 years old. Some of our drivers cannot drive at night because of night vision problems at their age, so their off the road at night. Some flexibility is considered in dispatching loads. With most of our loads, it's not necessary to run at night anyway.
I've been late with numerous loads over the years. Nobody wakes me up if I'm sleeping, whether it's during the day or at night. I run mostly at night and sleep during the day on a high percentage of my loads., but I often flip flop between night and day running over a months time. Days and nights have little meaning to me. Halve the time, I don't know what day it is. Mon, Tues, Wed, etc have little meaning to me. I just know I need to deliver/pickup tomorrow , the next day, etc ,etc.. This may sound weird for most drivers but after years of driving OTR the days and weeks fly by., before I know it, another month is gone.
This is why I don't work for a general freight hauler. Been there, done that.
General freight hauling is better left to the younger generation of drivers. They have higher testosterone levels than us older drivers. They can keep on going like the Doricell Bunny!!

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you will quit in a week
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So are you saying I'll quit in a week? I don't see why, I usually give a company 4-6 weeks for me to acclimated to them and them to me. I know it won't be a picnic, starting with a company new or for the umpteenth time is always nerve wracking. All I want to do is get rolling so that I can make some money to pay my bills.
My wife wants me to go with Fraley and Schilling out of Rushville,IN but I don't know. They say that I can be home a couple times through the week and home on the weekend...doesn't seem like I can make alot of money like that unless I run balls to the wall constantly. And then if I do that, I'll be too tired to play with my kids when I do get home. Doesn't sound like fun to me.

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Re-read Shuffler's original reply again and again. You WILL run 'balls to the wall constantly' with Werner until you run out of hours. Then you'll sit until you get more hours.