According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 495.23% higher in 2026 versus 1974 (a $485,324.67 difference in value).
Between 1974 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $98,000 in the year 1974 would cost $583,324.67 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1974: Pricing changed by 11.21%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1974-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1974 (11.05%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $98,000 beginning in 1974. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | $98,000.00 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $107,200.87 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $117,863.90 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $126,173.22 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $132,093.16 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $150,922.85 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $177,794.40 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $199,316.59 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $207,536.75 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $212,493.81 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $221,926.49 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $227,792.94 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $218,930.86 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $225,546.22 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $232,500.36 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $244,144.10 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $257,874.09 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $264,970.89 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $270,766.01 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $278,932.68 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $287,366.81 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $297,655.39 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $306,053.86 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $308,710.70 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $302,879.91 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $308,978.17 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $328,093.16 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $330,054.59 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $327,076.78 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $337,133.55 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $348,991.27 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $372,118.27 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $386,989.45 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $395,170.20 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $418,424.34 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $383,553.21 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $413,816.59 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $454,407.60 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $465,045.13 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $465,203.82 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $462,053.42 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $425,950.33 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $417,021.20 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $431,296.47 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $450,764.69 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $449,491.02 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $430,802.54 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $493,545.55 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $569,876.06 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $571,263.86 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $579,195.51 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $583,351.71 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $583,324.67 | 0.00%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Transportation:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.250 | 14.508 | 14.675 | 14.317 | 14.225 | 14.592 | 15.925 | 15.942 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.567 | 18.450 | 20.575 | 22.117 | 22.683 | 24.142 | 25.733 | 26.467 | 26.083 | 25.767 | 26.233 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.783 | 30.125 | 30.750 | 30.925 | 31.383 | 31.900 | 32.358 | 33.275 | 34.342 | 35.658 | 37.492 | 39.458 | 39.925 | 41.183 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.083 | 58.967 | 61.733 | 70.533 | 83.092 | 93.150 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.717 | 106.458 | 102.317 | 105.408 | 108.658 | 114.100 | 120.517 | 123.833 | 126.542 | 130.358 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.033 | 144.275 | 141.550 | 144.400 | 153.333 | 154.250 | 152.858 | 157.558 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.858 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.663 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.628 | 272.615 |