Tailing the X-Commuter; As extreme commutes go global, business follows. But who needs three cupholders?(Cover story)

Byline: Keith Naughton (With Anup Kaphle)

The drive to get out of big cities is turning the United States into a land of nomads. "Extreme commuters" who travel more than 90 minutes to work, one way, are the fastest-growing group of commuters, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. They are also an increasingly important economic force shaping everything from real-estate markets to fast-food menus.

More Americans than ever are willing to trade time in their car for the dream of a big house and a big yard. Nearly 10 million people now drive more than an hour to work, up 50 percent from 1990. Many are doing what California real-estate agents call "driving 'til you qualify" for a mortgage. In places like southern California, each exit along the interstate saves you tens of thousands of dollars.

Companies are rushing to soak up some of that savings. Americans today eat an average of 32 meals a year in their cars, according to researcher Harry Balzer at the NPD Group. And they order one in four restaurant meals from the car. So McDonald's is rolling out products that fit in cup holders, like its new Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait.

Convenience stores are going down the same road. The Sheetz convenience-store chain bolted touchscreen menus onto its gas pumps in the United States. The idea is that by the time you're done filling up, your sandwich will be ready at the drive-through. "The fastest-growing appliance in America is not the microwave," says NPD's Balzer. "It's the power window." Coming next: private potties at the pump.

Carmakers have the most to gain, and brands from Peugeot to Honda are rolling out hybrids partly with an ...