ATHENS, Ohio -- During its first-ever surplus auto auction on June 26, Ohio University sold 84 vehicles for a total of $144,000. The auction, which lasted more than two hours, consisted of a wide variety of cars, vans and trucks made available to the public.

"The auto auction was a great success because it accomplished its primary goal of eliminating the routine maintenance and inflating insurance costs of the vehicles from the university budget," said Ohio University Director of Property Management and Moving Services Gary Dicken.

About 80 percent of the proceeds from each sale will be returned to the department that donated the vehicle. The auto auction was part of Ohio University's recent cost cutting measures.

For more information, call the Moving Services and Surplus Property Office at (740) 593-0463 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.