I agree there are many variables - but with fuel mileage it isn't "all' in the gearing. For best efficiency - the vehicle needs to be set up to perform a certain targetted task. Maybe a certain load at a certain speed. No setup is going to be the best at all loads and speeds. That why some of the most modern and efficient farm tractors are dogs when used in low power situations. A modern 120 horsepower turbo-diesel tractor worked at 20 horsepower uses more fuel than a 25 horsepower old gas tractor that is more suited for the small job. From what you're saying - it sounds like some (maybe all) of the big-rigs are designed to be most efficient pulling a certain load at high speeds. That being said - any vehicle on the highway encounters more wind-resistance and rolling resistance and needs more energy to pull X amount of weight the faster it goes. The faster the speed - the more energy needed. If your truck gets the best mileage at those faster speeds - it could do even better at slower speeds IF it was set up to do so. I understand - it would not make sense to do so - since time is money.
The reason why I'm saying it is NOT all in the gearing is this. Components need to be matched for a certain job. If someone wants a pickup truck to be most efficient at a highway speed -then - the amount of power needed to maintain that speed needs to be caculated. Then - an engine chosen that will be running at the peak of it's torque and efficiency curve while making that required power. And whatever RPM that is occurring at- it needs to be geared so it matches. Some pickup trucks get worse fuel mileage with overdrive engaged if they are underpowered, fall out of their curve, and lug. And, some truck-conversions with tiny diesels stuck into then work so hard they wind up eating fuel like a bigger engine. And, in those cases - no amount of gearing can fix it.
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