Since its dawn on ancient Terra, human civilization has depended on commerce for its development and very survival. The transportation of resources and manufactured goods enabled mankind to expand and thrive, first with the exploration and colonization of Terra itself and second out among the stars. As humanity spread out into the galaxy merchant ventures transported the essentials of life to those early colonies and later carried manufactured goods and luxury items throughout human occupied space. As the centuries passed times of economic prosperity and turmoil have washed across the Inner Sphere and through it all the flow of commerce has been successfully maintained. Day after day, a constant flow of merchant traffic plies the shipping lanes of Human Space. Vessels of all sizes ranging from 'tramp' Freighters owned and operated by lone traders up to giant fleets operated by mega-corporations crisscross the Inner Sphere fueling the engine of civilization. One such mega-group is the mercantile federation known as the Exodus Road Haulers. Formed in 2875, the ERH was created during the dark years of the 3rd Succession War in response to interstellar commerce becoming increasingly difficult and in many areas, non-existent. In order to compete with a handful of mega-corporations a large number of small merchant groups and traders decided to pool their resources to better meet customer need and maximize profits. As years passed the ERH 'federation' expanded its operations at a ever increasing rate until it became the single largest commercial/trade organization in the Inner Sphere with service to and from every Successor House and Periphery realm. The Clan Invasion caused a major disruption to a large area of the ERH's operation but that has been overcome with new agreements reached with several Clans. Further expansion into the Deep Periphery has added even more markets to the merchants of the Economic Resource House.