Federal employees and tourists who might otherwise have to bring their cars into downtown Washington, DC, can thank the Washington Metropolitan Transportation Authority for saving them stress and shoeleather. The Metro provides rail and bus transportation services throughout the nation's capital and in its Maryland and Virginia suburbs, a 1,500-sq.-mi. area -- the second largest rail transit system and sixth largest bus network in the US. Overall, passengers take about 350 million rail and bus trips on the Metro annually. The agency's rail system includes about 85 stations served by more than 105 miles of track, both underground and aboveground. Metro operates a fleet of more than 1,500 buses.

More than 3,600 tractors and more than 5,500 trailers. Specialized carrier New Prime (which does business simply as Prime) provides refrigerated, flatbed, and liquid bulk tanker trucking services throughout North America. The company operates in the US and Canada and serves Mexico through arrangements with other carriers. A subsidiary, Prime Floral, uses the parent company's refrigerated equipment and facilities to serve the flower industry. In addition to its freight-hauling operations, Prime provides logistics services, including freight brokerage. The company was founded in 1970 by Robert Low, who continues to serve as Prime's president.

NORDEN, which was established in 1871, has offices in Denmark, China, Singapore, the US, Brazil, and India. Dampskibsselskabet "NORDEN" (in English, Steamship Company NORDEN) steers a steady course in global shipping. The company operates crude oil tankers and vessels that transport dry bulk commodities such as coal, grain, and steel. Its fleet consists of 200 bulk carriers and 30 tankers, and it has a newbuild program that includes 67 bulk carriers and 15 tankers. NORDEN is one of the world's leading operators of Handymax bulk carriers, as well as a top operator of Capesize and Panamax vessels for its dry cargo transport and of Aframax oil tankers. Its large fleet consists primarily of chartered vessels.

McKenzie Tank Lines fills its tanks with liquid and dry bulk cargo before hitting the road. The company handles chemical and petroleum products with its fleet of about 360 tractors and 1,000 trailers. McKenzie Tank Lines' fleet includes a variety of tank trailers, including models equipped to handle high-pressure cargo, as well as van trailers. The company maintains a network of more than 30 terminals, primarily in the Southeastern US. McKenzie Tank Lines provides service throughout the US and in Canada; it does business in Mexico through a partnership. The company was founded by Guy McKenzie Sr. in 1949.

After undergoing a restructuring that changed the shape of its business, Jarvis still can't get its operations on track. The company provides support and maintenance services to clients in the railway, manufacturing, and other sectors. As part of its financial restructuring after misfortunes and debt nearly derailed Jarvis, it sold or closed several subsidiaries to focus on core businesses. Subsidiaries include Jarvis Rail (rail renewal, track development, signaling), Fastline (on-track machinery and plant equipment), and Fastline Freight (bulk freight hauling). After failing to secure sufficient working capital from lenders, in March 2010 Jarvis announced it would enter administration.

Over hill and over dale, less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier TST Overland Express hauls freight throughout Canada. (LTL carriers consolidate cargo from multiple shippers into a single truckload.) TST Overland Express operates a fleet of more than 1,600 tractors and trailers. The company offers its customers service throughout the US via multiregional LTL carrier Estes Express Lines, its partner in the ExpressLINK alliance. TST Overland Express is a unit of TST Solutions, which in turn is owned by TransForce Income Fund. TST Overland Express was founded in 1928.

American Railcar Industries, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets hopper and tank railcars in North America. It operates in two segments: Manufacturing Operations and Railcar Services. The Manufacturing Operations segment manufactures general service and specialty hopper railcars that are used to transport, load, and unload grains, cement, plastic pallets, and bulk powders; and non-pressure and high pressure tank railcars used in handling various commodities, including petroleum products, ethanol, asphalt, vegetable oil, corn syrup and other food products, chlorine, anhydrous ammonia, and liquid propane and butane. This segment also manufactures custom and standard railcar components that comprise tank railcar components and valves, tank heads, discharge outlets for hopper railcars, manway covers and valve body castings, outlet components and running boards for industrial and railroad customers, and hitches for the intermodal market; and aluminum and special alloy steel castings for the trucking, construction, mining, and oil and gas exploration markets, as well as finished machined aluminum castings and other custom machined products. The Railcar Services segment provides repair and refurbishment services that include light and heavy railcar repairs, exterior painting, interior lining application and cleaning, tank and safety valve testing, railcar inspections, wheel replacement, and conversion or reassignment of railcars; and fleet management services comprising maintenance planning, engineering services, field engineering services, regulatory compliance, mileage audit, rolling stock taxes, and online service access. The company serves leasing, railroad, industrial, and other non-rail companies. It sells its products directly, as well as through catalogs and the Internet. American Railcar Industries was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri. As of January 15, 2010, American Railcar Industries operates as subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises, L.P.

Truckload carrier Millis Transfer, which operates mainly in the eastern half of the US, concentrates on the transport of beer, food, glass, and paper. The company maintains a fleet of some 700 tractors and 2,200 trailers. Millis Transfer began as an Old Style beer distributorship during Prohibition in 1936. CEO Bill Millis owns a majority stake in the company.

Truckload carrier Midwest Parts & Equipment, which does business as Midwest Systems, provides a range of freight transportation services. As a truckload carrier, the company specializes in doing its part for intermodal transportation, in which its trucks haul containers that may also move by train, ship, or both on their journey from origin to destination. The company provides service to all states but concentrates on Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. Midwest Systems also leases containers and trailers and provides maintenance services. Founded in 1943 by Earl M. Winkle, the company is owned by company officers Justin Williamson and Thomas Lynch.

SMRT works hard to get its customers back home. SMRT Corporation Ltd company provides subway, light rail, bus, and taxi services in Singapore for about 1.3 million commuters a day. The company's main revenue generator is its MRT (mass rapid transit) unit, which operates a network of some 90 km (55 miles) of rail and more than 50 stations. In addition to its transportation operations, SMRT rents commercial space in its train stations and makes money from advertising placed in its stations and on its trains, buses, and taxis. SMRT Corporation Ltd company also provides engineering services. The government of Singapore, through Temasek Holdings, owns a 55% stake in SMRT, which was established in 1987.

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