A full set of mobile mechanic tools is too much weight for half ton truck, without materials. Bigger pickups make sense for people who work trades, especially heavy ones.
Many of such tradespeople don’t have a second vehicle, especially if they bought the truck themselves (self-employed) or if their company provides and doesn’t care if they do their life stuff with it (basically free gas if you don’t abuse the privilege.)
Trades ringing in, that’s my theory, too.
I won’t commit to saying I can do something professionally unless I’m damned fucking sure I can, because any small failures will become glued in everyone’s memories, kind of like me being around at all tends to stand out. It’s exhausting.