In what may be an effort to protect their pocketbooks from pump prices, the citizens of Whitehorse are leaving their vehicles at home and taking public transit.

That's the opinion of Whitehorse Transit manager Dave Muir, who said Wednesday in the wake of skyrocketing fuel prices, transit services have seen a boom in business.

'I think it has a lot to do with fuel prices and the awareness of our transit service,' Muir said in an interview.

'We're up 30 per cent from last year ... our biggest increase is in pass sales,' he said.

According to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics, between July of 2004 and July of 2005, total fuel sales in the Yukon had dropped by 28 per cent.

Broken down, the statistics show: a drop of 23.9 per cent in aviation fuel sales; a 23.5 per cent dip in motor gasoline sales; a 14.3 per cent drop in diesel fuel sales; and a massive 90.2 per cent decrease in light fuel oil sales.

By July 2005, according to the bureau, there had been 10,428 cubic metres of fuel sold in the territory.

Muir said transit employees were pleased with the boost in ridership and felt people were not only trying to save money, but were taking advantage of increased service during peak rush-hour periods.

'People are seeing that it's a viable alternative (to vehicles) and that it does work,' Muir said.

Lewis Rifkind, a Yukon Conservation Society spokesperson, said Tuesday he was surprised but pleased to see the drop in fuel sales.

'High gas prices tend to be good for the environment,' he said.

Rifkind also said he's seen 'a dramatic change' in people's attitudes toward bicycling in the last 10 years and a greater interest in carpooling.

Rick Karp, president of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday that rising gas prices could have a number of impacts on consumer spending in the territory.

He said if people were parking their vehicles and opting for the bus, it could free up some cash flow to buy some consumer items. However, it could have a detrimental impact on some businesses as people would be less likely to do spontaneous shopping, he added.

'It affects people in a number of ways,' he said.