SEGMENT INFORMATION - Schedule of Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2025	Dec. 31, 2025	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 2,899,510	$ 2,955,201	$ 3,203,553
Total revenues		2,974,396	3,030,258	3,283,499
Less operating expenses:
Salaries, wages and benefits		1,000,825	1,034,877	1,072,558
Fuel		247,801	275,413	345,001
Supplies and maintenance		248,212	246,061	256,494
Taxes and licenses		90,472	97,230	102,684
Insurance and claims		115,993	145,398	138,516
Depreciation and amortization		286,321	290,405	299,509
Rent and purchased transportation		902,825	844,870	886,284
Communications and utilities		15,863	17,195	18,480
Other segment items		10,202	12,661	(12,443)
Total operating expenses		2,962,739	2,964,110	3,107,083
Operating income (loss)		11,657	66,148	176,416
Change in fair value		(7,815)	0	0
Restructuring and impairment	$ 44,200	44,225	0	0
Abarca Et Al. V. Werner | Pending Litigation
Less operating expenses:
Gain (loss) from litigation settlement		(18,000)
Inter-segment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		(9,297)	(14,429)	(17,690)
Total revenues		(9,297)	(14,429)	(17,690)
Reportable segment revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		2,908,807	2,969,630	3,221,243
Less operating expenses:
Salaries, wages and benefits		972,122	1,004,486	1,041,113
Fuel		246,605	274,145	343,462
Supplies and maintenance		225,982	221,449	232,921
Taxes and licenses		89,747	96,524	102,248
Insurance and claims		115,276	145,092	138,214
Depreciation and amortization		277,879	276,346	286,640
Rent and purchased transportation		901,680	854,233	898,869
Communications and utilities		14,605	15,867	17,544
Gains on sales of property and equipment		18,312	12,083	46,950
Other segment items		60,121	19,286	21,973
Total operating expenses		2,885,705	2,895,345	3,036,034
Operating income (loss)		23,102	74,285	185,209
Other operating segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues		74,886	75,057	79,946
Other operating segments
Less operating expenses:
Operating income (loss)		(11,445)	(8,137)	(8,793)
Truckload Transportation Services
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		2,042,647	2,123,864	2,293,120
Less operating expenses:
Gain (loss) from litigation settlement		45,700
Severance costs		900
Truckload Transportation Services | Abarca Et Al. V. Werner
Less operating expenses:
Legal fees		3,400
Truckload Transportation Services | Abarca Et Al. V. Werner | Pending Litigation
Less operating expenses:
Gain (loss) from litigation settlement		(18,000)
Truckload Transportation Services | Baylor
Less operating expenses:
Change in fair value		7,800
Truckload Transportation Services | Inter-segment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		(9,297)	(14,429)	(17,690)
Truckload Transportation Services | Reportable segment revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		2,051,944	2,138,293	2,310,810
Total revenues		2,051,944	2,138,293	2,310,810
Less operating expenses:
Salaries, wages and benefits		901,277	922,921	951,712
Fuel		245,228	272,570	341,126
Supplies and maintenance		214,101	211,847	224,988
Taxes and licenses		88,846	95,541	101,149
Insurance and claims		112,271	141,654	134,319
Depreciation and amortization		262,074	261,170	271,245
Rent and purchased transportation		158,746	139,848	130,076
Communications and utilities		13,485	13,884	13,908
Gains on sales of property and equipment		17,058	10,993	45,453
Other segment items		56,548	14,685	18,410
Total operating expenses		2,035,518	2,063,127	2,141,480
Operating income (loss)		16,426	75,166	169,330
Werner Logistics
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		856,863	831,337	910,433
Less operating expenses:
Severance costs		400
Werner Logistics | ReedTMS
Less operating expenses:
Change in fair value				2,700
Werner Logistics | Inter-segment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0
Werner Logistics | Reportable segment revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		856,863	831,337	910,433
Total revenues		856,863	831,337	910,433
Less operating expenses:
Salaries, wages and benefits		70,845	81,565	89,401
Fuel		1,377	1,575	2,336
Supplies and maintenance		11,881	9,602	7,933
Taxes and licenses		901	983	1,099
Insurance and claims		3,005	3,438	3,895
Depreciation and amortization		15,805	15,176	15,395
Rent and purchased transportation		742,934	714,385	768,793
Communications and utilities		1,120	1,983	3,636
Gains on sales of property and equipment		1,254	1,090	1,497
Other segment items		3,573	4,601	3,563
Total operating expenses		850,187	832,218	894,554
Operating income (loss)		$ 6,676	$ (881)	$ 15,879