Driver Trainer & Safety Coordinator

About Werner Construction Werner Construction is a family-owned heavy highway and materials company based in Hastings, Nebraska. Through Werner Construction and Werner Aggregates, we build roads, produce aggregates, and support crews across Nebraska with a large fleet of trucks, equipment, company drivers, and lease trucks.

Position Summary

The Driver Trainer & Safety Coordinator is responsible for training, coaching, and supporting Werner's company drivers, while also helping monitor the safety of lease drivers operating trucks with Werner's telematics systems. This role helps ensure drivers are safe, professional, productive, and prepared to represent Werner well on the road and at job sites.

This position is based out of the Hastings, Nebraska shop and reports to the Head of Equipment Maintenance. A qualified candidate may also be considered for an Omaha-based arrangement, but that would require additional travel. What This Role Owns

• Conduct pre-employment driving evaluations and road tests for company-driver applicants, and train all newly hired company drivers, including classroom-style instruction, safety expectations, ride-alongs, and hands-on coaching.
• Provide ongoing training to existing company drivers so training continues beyond the first week on the job.
• Conduct periodic ride-alongs with company drivers to observe driving habits, reinforce expectations, and identify coaching opportunities.
• Monitor driver safety data for company drivers and lease drivers through Fleet. Watcher, fleet telematics, and future dash cam systems.
• Give timely feedback to company drivers based on ride-alongs, telematics, dash cam events, safety concerns, or field observations.
• Help identify and communicate lease-driver safety concerns to the appropriate Werner leaders or lease truck contacts.
• Document driver training, coaching conversations, safety incidents, and corrective actions.
• Help Werner Construction implement and improve modern driver safety programs, including telematics and potential dash cam systems.
• Partner with the Head of Equipment Maintenance, Safety Director, HR, superintendents, and project managers to address driver performance or safety concerns.
• Support the vetting process for new lease drivers when needed, including helping confirm insurance, required documentation, and basic driver readiness.
• Help drivers troubleshoot basic truck issues in the field, such as air pressure concerns, warning lights, and other common questions, and coordinate with maintenance when additional support is needed.
• Take immediate corrective action when necessary, up to and including suspension, when unsafe behavior by a company driver creates risk for the driver, the public, the company, or others.
• Support a safety-first culture across Werner's driving team and lease truck network.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of CDL driving experience and ability to drive and train on manual transmissions.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (preferred).
• Ability to train and explain safety expectations clearly.
• Strong understanding of safe driving practices, job site awareness, and professional driver expectations.
• Comfortable using technology, including fleet telematics, tablets, computers, and driver safety systems.
• Ability to coach drivers in a direct, respectful, and practical way.
• Strong communication, documentation, and follow-through skills.
• Hazmat experience or prior hazmat certification is a plus.
• Prior driver training, safety, mechanical, or supervisory experience is a plus. Work Expectations This is a full-time, year-round salaried position based in Hastings, Nebraska. The role requires regular travel to project sites, pits, crews, and other Werner Construction locations to support field operations, training, and business needs. Travel is an essential function of this position and will vary based on project demands, operational priorities, and training schedules. This role requires the ability to work around trucks, heavy equipment, active job sites, uneven ground, dust, noise, and outdoor weather conditions. Werner Construction is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants.