Computer Associates' Software To Power Trucking Industry Portal

ByDoug Bartholomew Computer Associates International Inc. is taking its software on the road -- literally. The giant software company's Jasmine ii, a comprehensive e-business software package, has been selected by Imark Corp. to support its eHighwayman.com portal for the $315 billion North American trucking industry. Aimed at fleet operators in the U.S. and Canada, eHighwayman.com will provide information and business applications for drivers. At the same time the system promises to simplify record keeping and improve communications with dispatchers. Drivers will access the portal via both satellite and ground links to PCs, which often come as standard equipment on many over-the-road rigs. The Imark portal will offer driver-safety data, road conditions, hazardous-material regulations, and weather forecasts. It also will provide personal and entertainment content geared to those who are on the road for an extended time. The eHighwayman portal also plans to exploit the predictive capabilities of CA's Neugents, a neural-network-based intelligence technology. The software recognizes changes in business conditions, predicting outcomes and identifying issues before they occur, thus enabling companies to both capitalize on opportunities and avoid potential problems. This capability could be useful to the trucking industry, where conditions affecting performance and safety are constantly in flux.