According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 188.31% higher in 2026 versus 1981 (a $188,313,472,893,183,104 difference in value).
Between 1981 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $100,000,000,000,000,000 in the year 1981 would cost $288,313,472,893,183,104 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.88% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 12.11%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1981-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $100,000,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | $100,000,000,000,000,000.00 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $104,124,172,481,660,432.00 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $106,611,200,572,553,264.00 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $111,343,710,860,619,072.00 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $114,286,992,306,315,968.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $109,840,758,633,029,168.00 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $113,159,778,135,623,584.00 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $116,648,774,378,242,992.00 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $122,490,606,548,577,568.00 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $129,379,137,591,697,984.00 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $132,939,702,988,012,160.00 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $135,847,199,856,861,712.00 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $139,944,533,905,886,560.00 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $144,176,060,118,089,088.00 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $149,337,985,328,323,488.00 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $153,551,619,252,102,368.00 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $154,884,594,739,667,232.00 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $151,959,205,582,393,984.00 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $155,018,786,902,844,896.00 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $164,609,053,497,942,400.00 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $165,593,129,361,245,312.00 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $164,099,123,277,867,232.00 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $169,144,748,613,347,680.00 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $175,093,934,514,224,384.00 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $186,697,083,556,986,976.00 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $194,158,167,829,665,408.00 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $198,262,569,332,617,696.00 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $209,929,504,383,610,720.00 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $192,434,156,378,600,864.00 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $207,617,731,257,827,904.00 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $227,982,823,403,113,280.00 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $233,319,824,655,573,440.00 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $233,399,445,339,058,880.00 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $231,818,840,579,710,208.00 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $213,705,403,471,104,000.00 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $209,225,532,295,580,576.00 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $216,387,636,428,699,232.00 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $226,155,126,140,633,408.00 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $225,516,103,059,581,344.00 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $216,139,828,234,031,200.00 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $247,618,894,256,575,392.00 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $285,915,011,629,987,520.00 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $286,611,290,033,995,360.00 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $290,590,713,902,308,160.00 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $292,318,303,811,057,536.00 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $288,313,472,893,183,104.00 | -1.37%* |
* 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 | 268.564 |