Transportation has always been important to the history of Union City. Union City was at one time the nation's largest railroad hub, giving rise to its title, the Hub City. It was home to the Ross Carriage Manufacturing Company and the Union City Carriage Manufacturing Company. America's first automobile, the Lambert, was manufactured in Union City, as was the short-lived UC Six automobile. Founded in 1898, the Union City Body Company manufactured bodies for some of America's classic automobiles, including the Aperson, Hayes, Pierce-Arrow, Dussenburg, Aubur, and Cord. In later years, Union City Body Company manufactured assembled bodies for a variety of buses built for General Motors and Ford Motor Company. More recently, Union City Body Company became known as the world's largest producer of forward control vans such as the Step Van, United Parcel Service trucks, and general delivery vehicles. Today, Workhorse Custom Chassis has become the nation's largest producer of a chassis specially designed for the motor home market.