In my book <30 mpg is criminal with a VERY few exceptions. The truck that the farm has to pull the horse trailer gets lousy mileage and large trucks tend to have problems with fuel efficiency (though in order to pull the 6 horse trailer with 3 tons of horses + supplies they need power). In their case, it makes sense. In the case of another person I know; they have a large tool box and live out in the middle of the country. So, they have a 3/4 ton pick-me-up truck that they commute ~2.5 hours a day. The toolbox would fit in a station wagon, an SUV, or heck, it would fit in the trunk of my car. No need to have a gas hog for what it is used for as a commuting vehicle. It is owned simply for the 'I want a truck and I'm going to get a truck'.