It’s no surprise with soaring gas prices and cost of living, people are slowing down their activities and staying close to home this summer.

Commutes to work, even close distances and bringing kids to and from their summer activities are putting a strain on people’s wallets, whereas in previous years, filling up the gas tank was not as much of a concern as it is today. With no end in sight, it’s a hot topic of conversation and an extra weight on driver’s minds.

Nicole Aitcheson from South Glens Falls has to hold back on what she and her children can do outside the home for the summer as expenses have tightened.

People who are on the road for work are finding they must make sacrifices in other areas of their lives such as buying groceries, deciding which amenities to have in the home and planning vacations. Some people are even taking on second jobs.

According to Eric Stigberg of AAA Northway, families are still traveling; however, their trips are shorter and closer to home.

“People are still planning and taking vacations, but there is definitely a shift in the way people are going about it,” he said.

AAA’s Triptik, which maps out the most direct driving route from a starting point to a destination has become more popular this year with numbers up over 10 to 15 percent from last year.

“This shows us that people are thinking more carefully about where they are going and how to get there before they leave. Travel is definitely one of the last things we are willing to give up when it comes to the economy, but we’ve had to make changes,” Stigberg said.

On a national level, Stigberg said he predicts that travel for the Fourth of July long weekend will be on the decline from last year.

A new feature to the AAA website is a fuel cost calculator. Drivers can type in their travel locations and the make and model of their car and AAA will estimate how much it will cost to make the trip.

“It’s a helpful tool for people driving locally or a far distance. Planning ahead always helps,” he said.

Just as Stigberg said, Jennifer Frolish’s family of Saratoga Springs had to take a look at where they are driving and consolidate trips to leave the house as little as possible.

“We definitely look at where we are driving to and from,” she said. “We make shorter trips and try to get everything done in one fell swoop.”

On Thursday, June 19, more than 100 truckers from all around the area met at the state Capitol to protest high diesel costs, taxes and rising toll prices on the Thruway. The drivers parked their trucks around the Capitol and rallied on the steps to have their voices - and horns - heard by state lawmakers. With diesel prices at an average of $4.80 per gallon and the cost to cross the state in tolls for truckers nearing $60, truckers are looking for any way possible to ease their expenses. According to the New York State Thruway Authority Website, tolls are scheduled to rise again in 2009.

For those who are not dependent on their own vehicles, public transportation is becoming a popular choice to save some money.

Ray Melleady, Deputy Executive for the Capital District Transit Association said ridership is up about 20 percent from last year.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in people taking advantage of our services,” he said. “More and more people have parked their cars and take the bus now.”

The CDTA is locked into a fuel contract that guarantees no change in fuel costs through May 2009.