The Rev. Marisi Palepale shares a dark green Dodge Neon with four other Catholic priests and two church brothers to save on the rising costs of gasoline.

"We all use it, so I'm more careful to keep an eye for places with cheap gas," Palepale said.

Stella Berg of Hawai'i Kai meticulously maps out her daily errands in her head to come up with the most fuel-efficient route possible and prevent unnecessary driving.

"I've always done that, but more so now with the high cost (of gas)," she said.

And Jasmine Ornellas, 22-year-old Kapahulu resident, drives her Toyota Corolla to and from school and also to work downtown. But she said whenever possible she catches a ride with someone else.

"Gas prices are ridiculous. I try to make my friends drive," she said.

These are among the ways local motorists are coping with prices that yesterday hit an average of $2.68 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline in Honolulu, according to AAA. Statewide, the price per gallon for regular unleaded hit an average of $2.77.

Palepale's daily routine includes driving to several different churches as a fill-in priest. Since he shares the use of one car with six other clerics, he sets limits on his driving.

"My job — I do a lot of traveling. But if it is just for pleasure, I try not to do a lot of driving," said Palepale, 48.

Berg, 39, drives a small Nissan Sentra that she estimates gets about 30 miles per gallon. She said she tries to eliminate as many unnecessary driving trips as possible.

"The cost of fuel is not my biggest concern; I am more concerned about the environment," Berg said, noting that she maps where she needs to go during the day and combines errands. "I try to make my route as efficient as possible."

The effects of increasing costs at the pump go beyond careful planning. Manu Chong, a bus driver with the 'Ewa Beach-to-Waikiki route, said she has noticed more people riding to work these days.

"They didn't realize how much they save from riding the bus," said Chong, a bus driver of 19 years. "Some of my riders tell me they only drive their car on the weekend."

City Department of Transportation Services did not return calls on bus ridership numbers yesterday.

For Nikki Chun, 37, saving means filling up her tank at Costco, where she estimates she saves at least $10 a month on gas. Besides that, Chun said she feels like there isn't much she can do.

"I'm going to drive no matter what," said Chun, who lives downtown and drives to work at The Queen's Medical Center.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.