According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 228.09% higher in 2026 versus 1980 (a $1,074,301,353.93 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 $471,000,000 in the year 1980 would cost $1,545,301,353.93 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 $471,000,000 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 | $471,000,000.00 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $528,015,043.63 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $549,791,294.75 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $562,923,177.21 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $587,911,543.48 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $603,452,512.29 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $579,975,729.62 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $597,500,651.89 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $615,923,076.92 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $646,768,829.61 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $683,141,309.80 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $701,941,630.73 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $717,293,651.59 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $738,928,191.76 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $761,271,286.73 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $788,527,028.38 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $810,775,649.38 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $817,813,960.49 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $802,367,465.65 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $818,522,515.29 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $869,160,565.64 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $874,356,634.24 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $866,468,057.37 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $893,109,718.18 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $924,522,314.71 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $985,788,687.19 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,025,184,334.57 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,046,856,191.96 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,108,459,364.16 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,016,081,294.75 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,096,252,854.28 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,203,783,604.45 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,231,963,773.94 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,232,384,183.13 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,224,038,352.22 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,128,396,679.37 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,104,742,285.63 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,142,559,272.89 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,194,133,087.96 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,190,758,949.95 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,141,250,808.34 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,307,465,012.54 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,509,674,273.39 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,513,350,728.11 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,534,362,684.79 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,545,372,982.38 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $1,545,301,353.93 | 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 |