EXHIBIT 31.1

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

I, Clarence L. Werner, certify that:

1. I have  reviewed this  annual report  on Form  10-K 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 disclosure 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  the
   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:  March 1, 2004
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/s/ Clarence L. Werner
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Clarence L. Werner
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer