According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 229.18% higher in 2026 versus 1980 (a $428,563,265,469.86 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 $187,000,000,000 in the year 1980 would cost $615,563,265,469.86 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.04% 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 $187,000,000,000 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 | $187,000,000,000.00 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $209,636,545,983.35 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $218,282,318,724.30 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $223,496,038,511.68 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $233,417,109,617.89 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $239,587,303,179.22 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $230,266,372,480.19 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $237,224,250,325.95 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $244,538,461,538.46 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $256,785,076,722.50 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $271,225,955,270.28 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $278,690,201,584.60 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $284,785,377,595.03 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $293,374,887,172.80 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $302,245,712,566.44 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $313,066,994,283.42 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $321,900,310,901.61 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $324,694,714,672.55 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $318,562,029,886.67 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $324,976,030,488.42 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $345,080,734,128.97 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $347,143,716,778.66 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $344,011,734,028.68 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $354,589,208,705.25 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $367,060,876,541.97 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $391,385,317,420.52 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $407,026,476,782.67 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $415,630,802,326.75 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $440,088,961,989.77 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $403,412,318,724.30 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $435,242,640,657.91 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $477,935,316,417.61 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $489,123,621,502.36 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $489,290,535,553.10 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $485,977,010,329.96 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $448,004,626,416.61 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $438,613,179,219.74 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $453,627,566,944.14 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $474,103,795,005.52 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $472,764,169,090.36 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $453,108,070,404.17 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $519,099,697,121.65 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $599,382,354,829.00 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $600,842,008,825.59 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $609,184,335,573.16 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $612,805,995,386.62 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $615,563,265,469.86 | 0.45%* |
* 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 | 272.295 | 273.520 |