Higher diesel prices are forcing the moving industry to raise its prices. Major carriers are tacking on an 18 percent fuel surcharge. That figure comes from the American Moving and Storage Association. Last September, the fuel surcharge was just 8 percent. That means it’s more than doubled in one year. Sales Manager for Atlas Van Lines in Fort Myers, Peter Klopf, says he’s never seen surcharges this steep.

“That’s the highest I’ve seen it in the 22 years I’ve been in the business. It’s usually anywhere from nothing to, say, about 5 percent would be traditionally over the last few years. You know, when it would spike a little bit, we’d take on a fuel surcharge… but nothing like it is now.”

The surcharge could add hundreds of dollars to the price of a move, possibly more. But, Klopf doesn’t believe it’s high enough to dissuade people from moving.