Thats right. We are free to decide whether we wish to pay the premium to drive a big truck, or settle for the economy of a small one.
One thing is, we have a shortage of choice when it comes to buying a small, economical truck. The big manufacturers figured they don't make enough on them, and sales were not great, so there are few suitable small trucks here.
Used to be a Toyota or Ford Ranger, Chevy Luv, or the like could be used for economy. They have grown all of those trucks to be more mid sized and bigger, with similar capacity of the old time half ton trucks. They carry such a weight penalty with all the options stuck on them that you can't get good mileage for trying.
On the other hand, the auto makers build what they can sell, and few in this country want to buy an economy truck.
Another dose of $5.000 a gallon will change that though.
Plus, there is a steady demand for towing ability. People do with pickups now what used to take a mid sized commercial truck.
I pull a 16,000# trailer, so it takes a big truck to do it. Do I pull it everyday, No, but it is cheaper and easier to have one truck that will get it done than a small one that won't, and a big one that will.
Like Dozerboy said, bring on a mini nuke reactor to power our big rigs.
By the time oil runs out, there will be options. Until them, burn it if you can afford it.