Werner Enterprises: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Werner Enterprises was founded in 1956 when 19-year-old Clarence "C.L." Werner sold his car to purchase a single truck, launching what would become a major national trucking company. The business officially adopted the Werner Enterprises name in 1959, and in 1964 the growing operation, then with a fleet of 12 trucks, moved out of Werner's home and into a shop in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a location well-suited for long-haul trucking given its proximity to the geographic center of the contiguous United States. In 1971, Werner made a significant investment by purchasing 10 Freightliner trucks, and by the end of that decade the company had grown to 100 trucks and more than $6 million in annual sales.

In 1977, Werner Enterprises moved its corporate headquarters to Omaha, Nebraska, where it remains based today. The company benefited significantly from the deregulation of the U.S. trucking industry in 1980, which allowed smaller carriers like Werner to compete more directly with larger, established players. Werner went public on Nasdaq in June 1986 under the ticker symbol WERN. Throughout the 1990s, the company diversified significantly, expanding into temperature-controlled freight, regional short-haul services, dedicated fleet operations, intermodal transportation combining trucking and rail, and logistics services, while also adopting early technology innovations such as on-board satellite computers and paperless driver logs.

Today, Werner Enterprises operates thousands of trucks and tens of thousands of trailers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with logistics operations extending to Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and Africa through its Werner Logistics division. The company remains led with involvement from the Werner family, which has historically retained a significant ownership stake. Werner's workforce is centered around CDL truck drivers, including long-haul, regional, and dedicated fleet drivers, along with logistics coordinators, maintenance technicians, and corporate operations staff.

Company culture and employee programs: Werner has continued to invest in driver technology and safety innovations throughout its history, positioning itself at the forefront of trucking industry modernization. The company has also supported entrepreneurship in its home market through initiatives such as a logistics startup accelerator in partnership with the Nebraska Startup Academy. Benefits, routes, and advancement opportunities can vary by driver type and role, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the trucking and logistics industry, including Werner Enterprises, are legally required to conduct thorough background checks on driver candidates, given federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations in addition to standard employment screening. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Werner Enterprises is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is both standard practice and a federal regulatory requirement for commercial truck drivers under DOT and FMCSA rules.

The hiring process for CDL driver positions at Werner typically includes an application, verification of commercial driver's license and relevant endorsements, a review of driving records, DOT-required drug and alcohol testing, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a commercial truck driver role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though FMCSA regulations require commercial driver employment history checks going back at least three years, and safety-sensitive drug and alcohol violation history is checked through the FMCSA Clearinghouse without a standard time limit.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to a commercial driving role, with federal regulations imposing specific restrictions on certain offenses for CDL holders. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA and DOT/FMCSA requirements. A valid CDL is required for driving positions.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Werner Enterprises may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Werner Enterprises or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.