[slowmover]

If I drive, on average, 12,000 miles/yr, then the cost (let's measure in gallons versus dollars) on an annual basis can be related to other costs more easily; that of depreciation, finance, insurance and the rest. These need to be expressed as a cost per mile. Cents per mile.

This is the big picture.

Sure, reducing fuel cost is advantageous. But most Americans do no more than factor monthly payment and weekly fuel cost. Have to break free of this

DHS released a study a few years back which revealed, generally, that 90% of us drive to 90% of the same places 90% of the time. Work, grocery store, library, post office, etc. So, this is where to begin. A better route to the office even if it is longer. No idling. Etc.

Same for errands. Combine them to one Saturday morning trip, as an example, and then use "Best Order Routing" to go to the farthest point first (by freeway, preferably) and work back to the house in a loop which features no left turns, etc. As does UPS or FedEx. Cut the miles and cut especially the number of cold starts. Eliminate the convenience store runs altogether.

Once on the better route -- to work or errand running -- find the legal speed which best fits never having to stop. This is the heavy vehicle penalty. The more one uses a route and familiarization kicks in, questions like how to accelerate fit themselves in.

One "wins" at the FE game, IMO, when one reduces cold starts, total miles to achieve exact same ends, and has reduced CPM annual cost. It's the percentage gain to the bottom line, annually, that matters.

My near 8000-lb pickup truck is different than yours. But I took the challenge from a fellow owner here that the discrepancy between highway and city numbers was a bit false. It is explained almost as much by my driving (the big picture above) as it is by non steady state operation.

I applied the above and saw a 22% increase over an 1100 mile period. Understand that I was already driving in manner appropriate to FE. Most would be very happy with the city number I had already achieved. Same for highway.

Comparisons to others need first be filtered by truck spec, climate and terrain. And only then to driver motivation. As you can see it's hard to do. Most never get this basis. And focus on a number which may have little to do with their particulars.

Start by keeping records. It's the only approach that works. On paper or online. Takes about 5000-miles to come up with a decent average, and only past four seasons can one be accurate. Questions like how to fill the gas tank or how to accelerate really don't matter.

Making sure -- verifying -- that mechanical systems are in ideal shape is the best first step, IMO. Book maintenance with service periods reduced by 10% is a suggested start. Get ahead on this. Alignment, brake drag, steering slop, etc need to be examined. Even brand new.

The use of the block heater year round is another. Especially for a work commuter. Same for a winter front, gas or diesel.

Tires and steering are the big ones on a pickup truck. Best choice of the former genuinely pays. No other mods really do. No free lunch, in other words.

I start by weighing the truck. CAT Scale. All four corners. The heaviest individual position determines the minimum per axle. Driver, max fuel plus usual tools and gear aboard. Then I work with tire pressures. I very strongly disagree with tire pressure bumped way up. Pickups don't need to be even more rollover prone than they already are. The minimum plus 5 is a decent place to start. (Probably, to stop). Inside the vehicle manufacturers door sticker range.

I also favor better shock absorbers (KONI first, Bilstein second). Poly antiroll bar bushings. I equipped my one ton with a rear bar where none was present, and had to upsize the front to maintain balance. (Fred Puhns book on handling a basic). Tires already last me over 100k as do brakes. Better handling means easier to handle curves and turns, but not at the expense of tire or brake life (as these are EQUALLY important as fuel mileage).

Greatest amount of work for highest miles at lowest cost with highest reliability, is pretty much my mantra. FE is but one measure.

Were I in your shoes I would start my record keeping by finding the average mph of the truck. Engine hours divided into total miles. Below 27 is unacceptable. Period. If one can get this number higher, then one is set on the right road. THIS is how I took my four ton truck to 23-mpg in the city for that 1100-mile period. All of the above had to come together to make it happen.

Good luck.