According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 192.66% higher in 2026 versus 1981 (a $909,366,398.28 difference in value).
Between 1981 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.42% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $472,000,000 in the year 1981 would cost $1,381,366,398.28 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.86% 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 $472,000,000 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 | $472,000,000.00 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $491,466,094.11 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $503,204,866.70 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $525,542,315.26 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $539,434,603.69 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $518,448,380.75 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $534,114,152.80 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $550,582,215.07 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $578,155,662.91 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $610,669,529.43 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $627,475,398.10 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $641,198,783.32 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $660,538,200.04 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $680,511,003.76 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $704,875,290.75 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $724,763,642.87 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $731,055,287.17 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $717,247,450.35 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $731,688,674.18 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $776,954,732.51 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $781,599,570.59 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $774,547,861.87 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $798,363,213.46 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $826,443,370.91 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $881,210,234.39 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $916,426,552.16 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $935,799,327.25 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $990,867,260.69 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $908,289,218.11 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $979,955,691.54 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,076,078,926.46 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,101,269,572.37 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,101,645,382.00 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,094,184,927.54 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,008,689,504.38 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $987,544,512.44 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,021,349,643.94 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,067,452,195.38 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,064,436,006.44 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,020,179,989.26 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,168,761,180.89 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,349,518,854.89 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,352,805,288.96 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,371,588,169.62 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,381,430,427.95 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $1,381,366,398.28 | 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 |