According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 228.09% higher in 2026 versus 1980 (a $319,325,243,205.30 difference in value).
Between 1980 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.62% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $140,000,000,000 in the year 1980 would cost $459,325,243,205.30 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.02% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1980: Pricing changed by 17.80%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1980-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1980 (13.55%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $140,000,000,000 beginning in 1980. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $140,000,000,000.00 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $156,947,146,725.50 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $163,419,917,761.51 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $167,323,237,388.43 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $174,750,777,254.04 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $179,370,173,503.16 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $172,391,936,616.19 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $177,601,043,024.77 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $183,076,923,076.92 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $192,245,511,984.76 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $203,056,864,908.23 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $208,645,070,705.04 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $213,208,304,081.84 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $219,638,952,963.59 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $226,280,212,616.59 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $234,381,706,950.16 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $240,994,885,166.98 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $243,086,952,161.27 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $238,495,637,348.31 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $243,297,562,932.50 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $258,349,212,716.88 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $259,893,691,705.95 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $257,548,891,786.18 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $265,467,856,784.68 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $274,804,934,309.50 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $293,015,745,662.42 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $304,725,704,543.18 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $311,167,445,592.22 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $329,478,367,265.07 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $302,019,917,761.51 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $325,850,105,305.39 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $357,812,536,355.43 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $366,188,807,541.87 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $366,313,769,932.81 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $363,833,055,862.00 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $335,404,533,146.12 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $328,373,503,159.16 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $339,614,221,241.60 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $354,944,017,651.19 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $353,941,089,158.56 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $339,225,293,350.72 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $388,630,789,288.94 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $448,735,452,813.16 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $449,828,241,901.51 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $456,073,834,118.94 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $459,346,534,039.62 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $459,325,243,205.30 | 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 |