Same 'Ole Screwing

Werner Enterprises has some pretty slick salespeople and prospective drivers think they can get something out of Werner, so they sign. Reading the latest Rip-off reports indicates nothing has changed at Werner for 7 years. And why should they? Werner's profits are high and if driver causes "trouble" they can be replaced; Werner has NO interest in keeping drivers. Truck driving can be a rewarding career, but slaving for Werner doesn't help the driver or industry. Stand up and walk away from Werner.

---WernerScrews 10-4

All in the Family

Greg Werner is the new Screw-O-Matic King for Werner Enterprises. Expect no positive changes as C.L. will keep his eyes open and his wallet tight. Safety will be last!

And Werner is in China now. Werner has screwed U.S. drivers so good, that Werner will try to cheat Chinese drivers as well. With no hours-of-service in China, Werner can run a driver for 24 hours a day and pay them about $100 a month--or less. No joke when WernerScrews wrote: World Domination...Werner's SS World...Screw 'em.

A DEBATE ON SAFETY GROWS

This is a good article by Stephen Labaton and the Amherst Times that discusses safety and the unholy alliance between the Feds and Werner.

-----------------------------------------------------------

A Family’s Lawsuit

After Ms. Edwards’s death, her only son, Steve, a professional musician in Chicago, sued the trucking company, Werner Enterprises of Omaha, and the driver involved in the accident, John L. McNeal, 36. Mr. McNeal was dismissed shortly after the accident.

Mr. McNeal said in a sworn deposition that he had been tired from driving all day from Tennessee without a break. He had been in the cab for about 12 hours, including about 8 hours at the wheel. Because he had been driving trucks professionally for only a month, he was assigned a trainer, who had slept much of the trip.

After Mr. McNeal acknowledged he was at fault, Werner Enterprises settled the lawsuit for $2.4 million. Werner’s general counsel, Richard S. Reiser, said that the company had a strong safety record and that its training program far exceeded the federal requirements.

[That's a sick joke.]

Mr. Reiser said that Mr. McNeal was in compliance with both the old and new work hour rules but acknowledged he was unfamiliar with the proposals by safety groups that would have prevented the driver from working as long as he did that day. He also said that any driver who was tired should stop, regardless of how long he had been on the road.

“The driver should be the one who says, ‘If I’m tired, I should pull over,’ ” Mr. Reiser said.

[How often have we heard that lie? If a Werner driver pulls over and sleeps, they will be terminated or forced to quit.]

Mr. Edwards, though, thinks responsibility for safety goes beyond individual drivers, and links his mother’s death to the Bush administration’s decisions against imposing tighter driving limits. “These drivers are working hard every day on the road to make a living,” he said. “They are overtired and underpaid.”
-----------------------------
WernerScrews 10-4

Makes you Think

This article from the Dallas News finally hits a nerve and provides several reasons why Werner Enterprises places last for safety and employee retention.

------------------------------------------------------
Trucking companies make no bones about their willingness to hire ex-convicts. Werner Enterprises of Omaha, Neb., one of the nation's largest carriers, rejects applicants with drunken-driving convictions within the last five years but doesn't exclude other criminal convictions, according to its Web site. --------------------------------------------------------
The article goes on to describe the incentives Werner receives from hiring convicts and the consequences (safety issues) from this practice. Everyone deserves a second chance, but working for Werner--Corporate Criminal from this blog's eyes--one reformed-right (convict) and one wrong is not an ideal partnership. The Dallas News should investigate Werner Enterprises next

--- WernerScrews 10-4

Take a Hint
According to the Omaha World-Herald, Work for Werner--forget the holidays and extra pay...
Just another day working for Mr. C.L. Scrooge and Werner Enterprises.
--------------------------------
Dec. 26--Being on the road on Christmas Day is the norm for Walter Brathwaite.

"I've worked so many Christmases in a row . . . I really don't mind it," Brathwaite said Monday morning as he was leaving Sapp Bros. truck stop in Omaha after refilling two huge coffee mugs.

Brathwaite, a truck driver for Werner Enterprises, said family members -- his wife in North Bonneville, Wash., and mother in North Carolina -- would rather he was at home, but he understands and has accepted the demands of his job, which took him to Rapid City, S.D., on Monday.
------------------------------------
--- WernerScrews 10-4

Werner Does It Again

Folks...that was an armadillo and that's a Werner Truck. You can find anything on the web. Werner and roadkill.

Hello Friends & Werner

Been a while since I posted. I found an interesting article written by TurboTrucker on 10/25/2005 over at the Trucker's Report. Stay smart.
-----------------------------------------------------

Quote:

I guess my question is this, I here allot of Negative stuff about Werner from truckers on forums and positive from truckers I meat in real life. Are the truckers in forums the winners and complainers of the industry?

Without question, you're going to read personal testimony that will be on that level. But here's the thing; You have to recognize the fact that through all that you read, the names of several carriers pop up over and over. As I've offered many times, one complaint is easy to overlook. A dozen? That's a little harder to ignore. A hundred? Well...something's got to be wrong somewhere.

Werner is like Swift. They've gone through untold numbers of people, and the sizes of the companies lend to them probably getting more attention. Yet, at the same time, there are literally dozens of other carriers that rival in size, that are never written about.

You have to sort through the various complaints to arrive at a conclusion as to what may be truth, and what may be contrived. Do you read repeated complaints about the same thing? The answer is yes. I know I have.

Quote:

We had a Werner rep come in. I read allot of negative stuff on Werner. However there is a woman in our class who's son went to the program last year and works for Werner. She said her sone loves it so far and one of the PTDI guys said don't believe anything you here and only half of what you see. He also runs a school in Pittsburgh with about 250 students. He was a trucker for 25 years.

The PTDI representative has a vested interest in seeing that there are motor carriers supporting their efforts. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to totally negate his position, but you have to understand what his motivation might be, in order to understand why he might say this, and then decide for yourself how much truth there is to it.

PTDI receives money through legislative efforts in Washington, specifically to further training and education. They work with training facilities, motor carriers, insurance companies, and financing institutions. Collectively, they take a bite out of every dollar for their "expenses". They have gone to great lengths (honestly) to improve the training standards of drivers, and have set up some rather strict guidelines that must be met, in order to lend a training facility it's stamp of approval.

They bring in motor carriers to hire the trainees. Without them on board, who's going to hire the graduates? Now, understanding that they have to convince the motor carriers that graduates of their training program is more advantageous than those of other's, and there are many groups in Washington doing this very same thing, and it leads to alot of immense butt kissing, if you'll pardon the expression. Of course, they kick a few bucks their way to grease the wheels as well. It's all legal and proper, but hardly without bias.

The bottom line to all of this is simple. For each warm body they sign up, there are several thousand dollars of taxpayer funds dispersed to several entities, when that warm body makes it into a truck. It makes no difference to PTDI which company that is, nor do they really care if the company is good to their graduates. They want them in the classrooms and graduated. The more people, the more money that can be milked from the taxpayers.

What has happened, and what is rarely revealed to the public, is that there are several companies out there, that are practically if not literally, making more for hiring drivers for any period of time, than they make from doing any actual hauling of freight. Werner is but one of them.

In the midst of all this, are people that are hoping for a new career, who are considered to be nothing but chattel, and whether or not they are content with their jobs is of no concern to anyone involved in the process. What is also happening, is that these people are being roped into some rather sordid contracts, complete with predatory lending abuses built right in, and hounded like #### if they default on their agreements. The only thing missing from this rodeo, is a firebranded stamp on everyone's hind end that is roped into all of this.

To be fair, PTDI is the only non-profit where they are a bit more careful in
holding their institutions to tighter line in areas of pricing structures, and training criteria, but they are hardly without need of due criticism for their motivations, and integrity. They truly turn a blind eye to the reality of the situation for the sake of cash.

To illustrate the problem, let's use General Motors as a counter to all of this. They have twenty times the employees that Werner has, with almost ZERO turnover. Someone dies, retires, or screws up in order to have a need to replace an employee. The applications are as high as the Empire State Building, from people willing to work there.

When you have a company, despite the national average figures that are constantly offered to defend turnover rates, that exceeds 100% of it's workforce in a year's time, something has to explain the reason that people leave their jobs and seek another. Translated: When you read all the bad things out there on Werner, there HAS to be some truth to them. If there wasn't, then why the constant need to hire drivers?

Quote:

Dose Werner really suck - or do the people that complain about Werner do something stupid to get treated as such? now I wonder about all the negative stuff I have heard on all the companies

It would be easy to just say that Werner sucks, and leave it at that, but I like to be honest. Trucking can truly suck and for some people, it wouldn't make any difference where they worked. They'd never be happy in a million years.

That being said, the only true way you will find out if Werner is worth a shot, is for you to give them that chance. People do it every day, I suppose. Why? I dunno.

Would I ever submit an application to them? No. My reasons are as long as my arm. I do not care for their attention to safety. Their safety numbers are horrible. I don't care for their obvious turnover rates, and this alone is enough to tell me that they have a problem keeping people. They are consistently in need of drivers and advertise for them all the time. I don't care for their dispatching system and their hometime policies. And quite simply, I don't care for their reputation. It's not my kind of place.

You have to set your own priorities, and make your own decision. In agreement with the PTDI rep, DON'T believe everything you read. Don't believe everything you hear. I know I don't. But, I do trust the wisdom, insight, and integrity of people that sufficiently lay out a case of complaint, and when their complaint is supported by that of other people repeatedly, then I can certainly begin to understand that there might be a little fire hidden somewhere underneath all that smoke.
-----------------------------
---WernerScrews 10-4

They don't trust Werner. Should You?

An alert reader brought this article to WernerScrew's attention.

When a company moves it's data center to a new location, an eyebrow or two should be raised.

“[Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska] was also concerned about the data center's proximity to highway I-80, where the risk of contamination from an overturned truck spilling toxic chemicals into the air was deemed too high.”

Hmm? Omaha, NE is Werner's Headquarters. If a national health insurer thinks there is a risk, there is a risk. Blue Cross/Shield insures all Werner's drivers. They know Werner.

---WernerScrews 10-4

Your Trust in Clust

Google is a bad habit that needs to be nixed. In the past, Google gave unbiased web rankings. Seems that's not the case anymore. Google went public and commercial interests have a way of creeping into search algorithms, meta tags and a variety of proprietary web ranking technologies. Yes, habits can be changed.

Thankfully, no one is forced to use Microsoft, Google or Hotmail. Find an alternative and give it a whirl.

Two search engines that do a better job than Google:

Clusty.com and Gigablast.com

---

Is Werner paying its drivers more? More drivers are finding positive things to say about Werner—great miles, good dispatchers, great pay, etc. On the other side of the coin are the negative comments. I have not heard enough “good things” to offset the negative. At the very least, Werner is bowing to current market conditions. There is a saying down South, “Ride Bulls, Meet Nurses.” It seems appropriate, “Drive For Werner, Meet Lawyers.”

---WernerScrews 10-4

Get Real

This Detroit News article is very funny. Especially these quotes:

"...truck drivers are becoming as heavily recruited as Ivy League business majors."

"Companies are offering new drivers financial incentives like first-year pay of $16 an hour plus overtime, profit-sharing and sizable 401(k) matches."

"[A driver at Werner Enterprises] makes slightly less than the average wage of $35,000."

Karen Dybis, of The Detroit News, is a Mold-O-Rama business reporter who wants her readers to feel good. She will never drive a truck or interview a driver with a different opinion. This is sad, but there is no debate in her article--just a warm feeling that the "good times" have returned and that the trucking industry will be the next Gold Rush. I was expecting to read that a truck driver, who works hard, can move into Management; the same hard work will get a driver, now a manager, into the Executive Suite. Opportunities abound--the fountain is overflowing with Hope!

Wake up. I don't see no "pay increases." A company will jettison a higher wage earner as soon as possible. This triple jackpot, money-on-trees chimera will vanish like a mirage in Death Valley. The buzzards will drop dead before Werner Enterprises will pay a proton of a cent extra.

---WernerScrews 10-4

Longing For the Good Ole Days

The real issue is what happened to change the relationship between the Omaha World-Herald and Werner Enterprises. Two negative Werner articles were given Editorial approval. WernerScrews doesn’t buy into the notion of Freedom Of the Press. In a smoke filled, up scale Omaha hotel—or a facsimile thereof, Werner screwed someone over at the Omaha World-Herald. Werner Enterprises was a primary source for Omaha World-Herald's warm and fuzzy business reports. This is a departure from the fluff.

First Settlement Reached—June 26, 2004 Omaha World-Herald article

Want to work for a company that will fire you for going to the hospital? The jury has decided against Werner. You can argue pros and cons about Werner, but this case speaks volumes about of Werner's Management during the time Mr. Phipps and I were employees.

WernerScrews is extremely happy concerning the outcome of this case and it is a positive step forward. However, not everyone goes through the ordeal Mr. Phipps had to endure. He is to be commended on his perseverance to pursue what was legally his and to obtain justice.

The second consequence of this legal decision is that it puts a case on the books. Werner failed to act properly legally, humanely and ethically concerning Mr. Phipps. Certainly, he is not alone.

Losers are Users and Users are Losers—June 25, 2004 Omaha World-Herald article

Just like I learned in Schoolhouse Rock and the crime fighting McGruff--drugs are bad. The second Omaha World-Herald article focused on Curtis Werner’s purge from C.L.'s Camelot. Fear not, Clarence will loan his son money to start a new business, but the loan will have a high interest rate. It is good to hear that Werner’s Executive Management only has a substance abuse problem.

Stay Safe and Drive Clean.

---WernerScrews 10-4

Working For Werner

Opinions are usually based on facts. The conclusions (or opinions) that are contained at WernerScrews are no different. Research is not rocket science and personal experience plays a big part in forming a conclusion.

One criticism received is that WernerScrews is bashing those poor-little-old large trucking companies. However, large companies like UPS and Federal Express demonstrate safer DOT records than Werner Enterprises. Something is clearly wrong at Werner. Could it be the GPS system?

Not all companies are buying into the GPS system. BostonCoach is one. Other models can and are used. Eweek article.

Werner Enterprises internal politics are uninteresting. It is the usual, legendary Werner infighting that is the foundation of this “great” company. The shockwaves from this attitude move down the food chain.

JayB presents an interesting analogy with inmates running an asylum--one I don’t fully acknowledge. An executive should make executive decisions. However, a Werner truck driver needs to be in complete control over her truck and NOT be coerced by a Dispatcher to exceed her limitations.

Another law firm is on the Werner Watch and is offering statistics galore. Werner is fertile ground.

JayB has decided to work for Werner and that’s his choice. Maybe he’ll find a satisfying career. The alternative is what Werner does best: screw.

---WernerScrews 10-4

SafeStat Data

Many thanks to Tony TurboTrucker over in Google Groups for bringing this site:

http://www.safersys.org

to the attention of the public and drivers.

Read TurboTrucker's post for more details and carrier rankings. Werner's DOT # is 53467 or go here:

http://ai.volpe.dot.gov/SafeStat/CarrierOverview.asp?DOT=53467&WhichForm=safer

Werner ranks "Deficient" with a score of 94.6--having "Extensive Available Data." As TurboTrucker warns:

[ In this game, the higher score is not a winning score. It is an indication of a losing proposition. Take the time to view all information of a prospective carrier you are considering, or one that you already work for, and use this tool as one means to determine your destiny. ]

Outstanding advice. Stay safe.

---WernerScrews 10-4

An All Time Low

On August 11, 2003, Werner Enterprises was ranked near the bottom in the Customer Respect Index. Seven months later, they exceeded all expectations and finished last with a ranking of 1.6. Need two signs? Look at Werner's website; the site has been unmodified for over three years. If Werner doesn't respect their employees, why should a customer be different? Nothing new under the sun.

---WernerScrews 10-4

In the winter of 2001, I was waiting for my next trainer in Allentown, PA. Jason, from Knoxville, TN, was a few years younger than me; he had an outstanding personality, excellent hospitality, and a strong confidence. Jason was not the best trucker, but his excellent personality replaced any deficiencies.

I would have liked to stay on-board with him, but I had to cash four Werner checks. I told him I had a personal emergency and needed to go home.

I hope Jason left Werner. He was a hard working and loyal employee and he would give you the shirt off his back.

Werner has a lot of good drivers. These drivers will go all out to keep Werner happy, but Werner’s Management is flawed. The computerized dispatch has created far too many problems. Sometimes it’s not the drivers who are driving—it’s the Dispatcher using the QualComm. There is little or no driver-dispatcher arbitration in Werner’s current system. Currently, Werner’s profits are high and the NHTSA is happy with Werner’s compliance. Does this mean there isn’t a serious problem? Too many lives hang in the balance. You may not drive for Werner, but you may share the road with a Werner. This puts everyone at risk.

The WernerScrews site has been updated. This is the place for the other story—the story untold on Werner’s site.

---WernerScrews 10-4

Werner Valley Ranch

Background: Werner Valley Ranch is a privately owned wildlife retreat owned by Clarence Werner—CEO of Werner Enterprises. Several hundred acres of Nebraskan prairie provide marksmanship practice, hunting and other leisure activities as prescribed by Mr. Werner. Werner Valley Ranch also serves as a VIP guest resort for Werner Enterprises. Like a mounted white bison, inside Werner's Omaha terminal is a plaque listing Werner's deceased drivers.

---

A benchmark study written by humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer correlated, with causality, that animal cruelty developed into human cruelty. "Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives."—Dr. Albert Schweitzer. The sagas played out at Werner Valley Ranch have a profound influence in Werner's boardroom and, in turn, are passed down to Werner Management.

Hunting for subsistence differs greatly from hunting for sport. My Native friends have the utmost of respect for the animals they hunt. It is in their traditional beliefs that the hunted animal offers its spirit to the hunter. The implications of this simple relationship form a rich cosmology where the distinction between man, animal and nature are often intertwined.


Hunting for sport is a different mindset. Some hunters see a mounted nine-point deer as a supreme accomplishment. Other hunters enjoy impressing friends and acquaintances with their hunting prowess. Essentially, there are no clear distinctions. Some hunters are only sport, others for subsistence and the rest are a combination of sport and sustenance. From my communication with over 90 Werner employees, there are strong indications that Werner Valley Ranch is aimed at the sport of hunting. Werner Valley Ranch is well stocked with deer and other wildlife to afford Clarence Werner’s guests a remarkable time. The animals are confined with no means of escape; it could be argued that this is not fair sport. Werner's hunting principles are:

• Hunt the weakest

• Use fear and scare tactics

• Herd the wildlife together and offer them no escape

• Use diversionary tactics

The herd is culled; hunters are evaluated and pats on the back are rewarded. A guest will leave Werner Valley Ranch with hints how he can improve his hunting performance along with camaraderie and euphoria that sets Werner Enterprises apart from other corporations.

For top Werner employees, keeping their hunting skills sharp—at the corporate offices—would be a difficult proposition, but Werner encourages this behavior.

• An ex-Werner truck driver made a post at WernerScrews explaining how she was terminated because of an injury. Here is a sample of her post:

“Now I am 1200 miles away from home and worker’s
comp says find a doctor where you are at. So, I did. I was
then taken out of work. So Werner (DMI) says I am to drive
my truck to a terminal, even though the doctor said, ‘No.’
It gets better. Werner leaves me stranded 1200 miles away
from home with no where to sleep, no money and no car. Once
again, I was told take it up with worker’s comp.”—Tifa
(WernerScrews post)

Tifa never drove for Werner after this incident. In addition, several e-mails confirm similar actions. A truck driver that can no longer be a part of the herd must be culled.

• A dispatcher holds the power of a Werner driver’s mileage and paycheck. Running over hours and driving when tired are common occurrences. The ability for a driver to make decisions becomes reduced because it is the dispatcher, and dispatcher only, who control the truck driver’s position. The fear and anxiety caused by a dispatcher has grave consequences. The official Werner statement: driving is the driver’s responsibility.

• Werner drivers are often herded together and placed in a motel. Often the relocation circumstances are puzzling:

“I waited at home for five days, calling every morning,
(at least I was getting paid.) Finally I got a call, I was
told to be at the terminal in an hour and a half--they were
sending a couple of cars up to the Omaha, NE terminal. One
hour later, I was in Lakeland putting my stuff in a rental
car. They sent three rental cars with three people each up
to Omaha, NE, because we would be able to get a trainer faster
if we went up there. When we left there were still at least
25 people waiting on trainer at the hotel, one that had been
there almost two weeks. Like I said before I was a lucky one.”—Sanslogic
(realdrivers.com)

One explanation for this relocation is psychological control. Once a driver is away from home, Werner believes they have better control.

• Smoking mirrors are a Werner hallmark. When I was a driver, I was told to call so and so and later call this person. The calls made no difference. Confirming my experience was a post from WernerScrews.

“He was with them [Werner] for nearly a month and the
only checks that I received were void. Werner claimed he was
not given any miles because loads were thin around Thanksgiving
and that they would improve afterward. The real reason was
he was given a brand new Peterbuilt and there was a problem
with the paperless log. He told them that he was not about
to move until they got it fixed because he knew that they
would blame him and he would be sent through more safety meetings.
He argued with them to get it fixed every day and they said
that they were never told about the problem.”—Tammie
(Wife of a Driver)

When a Werner driver displays initiative, Werner Enterprises obfuscates responsibility and enfeebles issues.

Werner Valley Ranch extends far beyond the recreation and amusement it provides. There is compelling evidence that Werner’s cruel hunting strategies are used in business; the lessons of the hunt are incorporated into Werner’s management and the treatment of their employees. Just as wildlife animals are tagged, Werner's adoption of computerized dispatch has provided tighter control of their drivers. The precipitate of the dominance/submission paradigm are hostility and fear. In short, the integration of new ideas or techniques—from the bottom-up—will be diminished leading to the eventual extinction of the company.

---WernerScrews 10-4

WernerScrews received information concerning a fatal collision that took place on June 19, 2001. According to the Tri-City Herald in an article written by Mr. John Trumbo ( jtrumbo@tri-cityherald.com ), a Werner Enterprises driver crossed the center lane and collided with a Chevy Astro Van. James and Kathryn Johnson were killed. This link provides the scanned article.

---WernerScrews 10-4

Happy New Year from Werner Enterprises!

Pay drivers more? C.L. laughs!

An alert reader brought this story to my attention from LandLine.

Drivers, don't expect a raise at Werner. Not this year--or the next, or the next...

Make a resolution: leave Werner Enterprises.

---WernerScrews 10-4

These comments were submitted to http://dms.dot.gov in regards to Werner's GPS Exemption: Docket No. FMCSA-2003-15818
-------
WernerScrews
http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/wernerscrews
On-Line Keywords: Werner Screws

Werner Enterprises has enjoyed profitability since the introduction of the QualComm system, however the system has not benefited the safety of highway motorists or Werner's drivers. Having drove for Werner Enterprises and as a Webmaster for WernerScrews, I am in a position to offer an opinion of Werner Enterprises. During the past two years, I have collected the opinions of over forty Werner drivers. Some messages have expressed a negative opinion of Werner's QualComm system and the remainder are critical of Werner's employment practices. In the past six months, four people have posted positive comments. During Werner's next exemption, the need for further investigation is warranted. WernerScrews doesn't oppose exemption, however under no circumstances should Werner Enterprises be afforded permanent status.

In order for Werner to improve highway safety three guidelines need to be enacted:

1. Unadulterated information sent from the QualComm Corporation directly to the FMCSA or an independent agency created to review Werner's driving records

2. An outlet for drivers to grieve safety concerns-not affiliated with Werner Enterprises or its safety department

3. Rigorous external auditing of Werner's proprietary software

I. Unmodified QualComm Data

The following statements were taken from Docket No. FMCSA-2003-15818 under these sections:

System Operation and Quarterly Reports

[...correction by company management.]

[...internal auditing...]

Reporting of Corrections or Amendments to Records

[...agree to furnish...]

[...identifying who authorized each altered record.]

The above four statements assume that Werner Executive Management or Werner Management will act ethically concerning the data received from the QualComm Corporation. With no redundancy in raw data, Werner Enterprises has the ability to alter a driver's log to corporate/personal advantage; there is a strong possibility for chicanery. A scenario might develop where a manager acted without authorization from Werner Executive Management and changed a driver's log; if caught, this manager would be terminated. However, the original data was erased.

II. Third-party Intervention

The recent docket highlights Werner's responsibility to be in compliance with the MOU, but ignores the key issue of a driver's responsibility for his safety and the safety of highway motorists. Werner's reliance on QualComm system has had a profound impact on the ability of a driver to make decisions. Werner drivers are told to take any safety related issue(s) to the Safety Department. My correspondence with Werner drivers has revealed Werner's Safety Department is aligned with logistics; safety is ignored. If a driver is unwilling to deliver a load because of a safety issue, Werner Management may terminate him because he refused a load. A driver needs to be able to state his limitations without fear of reprisal. As Werner is the only carrier to use paperless logs, a separate agency-not affiliated with Werner-is needed to address safety issues. A driver should be able to call a FMCSA hotline that will resolve a safety situation without a driver losing his job or receiving a negative DAC's report. Currently, a driver will ignore safety issues to keep their position; when a driver acts on his own accord, the incident's root cause becomes obfuscated.

III. External Software Auditing

The safety of highway motorists has been placed on the QualComm hardware and Werner's software. Werner's software, during my brief employment with Werner, was considered infallible, however the proprietary technology was not without defects or glitches. Some Werner drivers quit or were terminated because of erroneous information; some dispatchers trusted false information over a driver's word. Information is power-albeit, misleading or false information. One situation arose when a dispatcher used intimidation and coercion on a driver to accept a load after it was "discovered" he had more on-duty driving hours.

Docket No. FMCSA-2003-15818:

[FMCSA would continue its policy of not divulging to any third party proprietary information related to Werner's GPS technology or related safety management computer systems.]

If Werner's 2002 safety improved-compared to 1998, this would not be an issue, however Werner's safety management system has degraded since the introduction of the QualComm system and Werner's software.

http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/wernerscrews/chart.html

Technology is not infallible and Werner's proprietary software needs independent examination and rigorous auditing. Without outside testing, the software continues to perpetuate errors and cause unneeded risks. Given Werner's unique position, their software should be disclosed and tested by an independent agency; independent recommendations would be used to improve Werner's software.

Final issues:

On Feb. 2, 1999, Jeffrey Shober and Louis Ottaviano were burned to death while westbound on the Schuylkill Expressway. Just before the accident, it was determined that the Werner driver was sending a message over the QualComm system.

What action(s) has Werner Enterprises taken to prevent further distractions while driving? Specifically, has the QualComm system been deactivated while the truck is in motion?

Werner Enterprises has discouraged the use of "double logs" in order to eliminate discrepancies. If a driver choices to keep a separate log book, as detailed in 49 CFR 395.8, and a discrepancy arises-whose log is valid?

The FMCSA has given absolute trust to Werner Enterprises. During the past five-years, safety at Werner Enterprises has been decreasing. Rigorous, unbiased third-party intervention is needed to help Werner Enterprises improve highway safety.
------
---WernerScrews 10-4

Some big news:

Werner Enterprises has expressed interest to move from FMCSA exemption status to FMCSA permanent status--concerning Werner's use of the QualComm System.

The public is encouraged to make comments and the last day for comments is 12 Jan 2004.

The Werner Exemption is Docket No. FMCSA-2003-15818

This is the message I got from:
http://www.dms.dot.gov

[
-Go to dms.dot.gov
-Select the Comment/Submissions tab at the top of the screen
-If you wish to register select the link REGISTER in the Unregistered users section. Registration is not necessary though and you can just select the continue button at the bottom of the screen
-Fill in the following information about the docket and the submitter information (you will have the option of selecting Enter a comment or attach a file)
-Select continue at the bottom of the screen
-the next screen will allow you to either type in a comment or attach a file
-select continue
-You will receive a notification that your submission was recieved and it will take 1-3 days before you can see it on the website.

Should you require further assistance please feel free to contact us through the dms.dot.gov support site. Should you prefer assistance over the phone, please provide us with a phone number and we will be glad to call you and assist you further.

Thank you,
DMS Web Support Staff
]

Or mail your comments to:

Docket Management Facility
Docket No. FMCSA-2003-15818
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street
SW.
Nassif Building
Room PL-401
Washington, DC 20590-0001


Many e-mails were sent to WernerScrews about this outrage. Thank you very much! The power of the internet is awesome!

WernerScrews comments should be on the dms.dot.gov site next week. I will also place those comments on this blog.

---WernerScrews 10-4