ROBSTOWN, TEXAS – Since Hurricane Rita slammed ashore last fall, the staff at Sparkling City Auto Auction have watched U.S. gas prices move up and down almost on a daily basis. Yet, General Manager Jonathan Lightfoot noted that in spite of the volatile energy market, Sparkling City’s customers have not experienced an increase in their transportation costs.

“In spite of the fact that people have grown comfortable paying the high costs of fuel elsewhere in the country, we have vowed here at Sparkling City not to raise our transportation costs,” said Lightfoot. “The cost of business it too important to lose any customer over the rising cost of fuel.”

Lightfoot explained that Sparkling City Auto Auction will maintain the current cost of transportation through the life of all contracts established at the auction.

“Even through we’ve seen some softening of the market due to rising fuel costs, we are making every effort to sell every vehicle that crosses the block at Sparkling City,” said Lightfoot.

As Lightfoot and his staff forecast activity at Sparkling City in 2006, they observe a pattern of promising growth in spite of last quarter’s spikes in fuel prices.