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High diesel prices continue to mean high fuel surcharges for shippers.

Earlier this week, CSX Intermodal announced its fuel surcharge for July will be 43.5 percent, just slightly below June's 44.5 percent. The drayage-only fuel surcharge, which takes effect July 7, is 54 percent.

CSXI previously applied fuel surcharges of 37.5 percent in May, 35 percent in April, 29.5 percent in March, 26 percent in February and 27 percent in January.

CSXI adjusts its surcharge the first Monday of each month based on the difference between the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) price index the previous Monday (in this case, June 30) and $1.10. CSXI calculates the percent difference between the DOE's "Retail Diesel Fuel Price Index" and $1.10, multiplies the figure by 10 percent and then again by 100. On June 30, the DOE reported a diesel retail price of $4.64 per gallon.

Meanwhile, Union Pacific Railroad's carload rate-based Highway Diesel Fuel (HDF) surcharge will rise from June's 28.5 percent to 32 percent in July and 34.5 percent in August. The rate-based standard HDF surcharge program is based on the DOE's U.S. average on-highway diesel fuel price.

Norfolk Southern Railway's fuel surcharge for rates referring to "Tariff NS 8003 Series" will go up from 14.7 percent in June to 18.6 percent in July and 21 percent in August.