Gas prices in Ottawa reached a new record at $1.21 per litre and with fuel prices continuing to climb, some people are looking at alternative ways to travel.

"Compared to the cost of a car with insurance and repairs and everything else, it's still a good deal," said bus rider Matthew LaFrance.

LaFrance is not alone; according to the City of Ottawa, bus ridership in the Capital is also at record levels.

"We've gone up over the past two years over two million in riders. We're serving over 300,000 a day and it's a record level for OC Transpo," Ottawa Councillor Alex Cullen told CTV News.

Buses, however, still eat up just over three million litres of fuel every month which could mean a looming hike for bas fares in the Capital.

Riding your bike to work

Those who choose not to take the bus, however, might consider using their bikes as primary modes of transportation.

Al MacEachen of sporting goods store Tommy and Lefebvre told CTV News many customers come into his shop looking to buy bicycles for their daily commute to and from work.

"Generally (we see), people just looking for fitness and I think the opportunity to ride their bikes to work. Ottawa is so well set up as far as commuting goes, it's one of those things that really makes sense for a lot of people," he said.

Advice for those who continue to drive

The love affair with the automobile is far from over, though. The Canadian Automobile Association says the trip planning service they provide is up from last year.

For people planning summer vacations that involve hitting the highways, Korey Kennedy of the CAA says motorists can help control their fuel consumption by keeping tires and engines in good condition and driving at the posted speed limits.

"Case in point, if an individual was to reduce their speed from 120 kilometres down to about 100, they'll actually maximize their fuel consumption by about 20 per cent," he said.

While the price of gas is already pushing record levels across the country, a new report by CIBC suggests the pain at the pumps might not go away any time soon.

By this summer, the study says the average price of gas in Canada will hit $1.40 per litre.

With a report from CTV's Norman Fetterley