Exhibit 31.1

                  RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION

I, Clarence L. Werner, certify that:

1.   I  have  reviewed  this  quarterly  report  on  Form  10-Q  of  Werner
     Enterprises, Inc.;

2.   Based  on  my  knowledge,  this report does  not  contain  any  untrue
     statement  of  a  material  fact  or  omit  to  state  a material fact
     necessary to  make  the statements made, in light of the circumstances
     under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to
     the period covered by this report;

3.   Based  on my knowledge,  the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present  in  all  material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
     of  the  registrant  as  of,  and  for,  the periods presented in this
     report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
     establishing  and maintaining  disclosure controls  and procedures (as
     defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  for the
     registrant and have:

     a)    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
           disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to  be designed under our
           supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
           registrant,  including  its  consolidated  subsidiaries, is made
           known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
           the period in which this report is being prepared;

     b)    Paragraph  omitted  pursuant  to  SEC  Release  Nos. 33-8238 and
           34-47986

     c)    Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  registrant's  disclosure
           controls  and  procedures  and  presented  in  this  report  our
           conclusions  about   the  effectiveness   of  the  controls  and
           procedures,  as  of the end of the period covered by this report
           based on such evaluation;  and

     d)    Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
           control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  the
           registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth
           fiscal  quarter  in  the  case  of  an  annual  report) that has
           materially  affected,  or  is  reasonably  likely  to materially
           affect,  the  registrant's   internal  control   over  financial
           reporting; and

5.   The  registrant's  other certifying officer(s) and I  have  disclosed,
     based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
     reporting,  to  the  registrant's  auditors and the audit committee of
     registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the  equivalent
     functions):

     a)    All  significant  deficiencies  and  material  weaknesses in the
           design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
           which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
           ability  to  record,  process,  summarize  and  report financial
           information; and

     b)    Any fraud,  whether or not material, that involves management or
           other  employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
           internal control over financial reporting.


Date:   November 4, 2003
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/s/ Clarence L. Werner
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Clarence L. Werner
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer