According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 192.66% higher in 2026 versus 1981 (a $1,656,896.40 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 $860,000 in the year 1981 would cost $2,516,896.40 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 $860,000 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 | $860,000.00 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $895,467.88 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $916,856.32 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $957,555.91 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $982,868.13 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $944,630.52 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $973,174.09 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $1,003,179.46 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $1,053,419.22 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $1,112,660.58 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,143,281.45 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,168,285.92 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,203,522.99 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,239,914.12 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,284,306.67 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $1,320,543.93 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $1,332,007.51 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,306,849.17 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $1,333,161.57 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $1,415,637.86 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $1,424,100.91 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $1,411,252.46 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $1,454,644.84 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $1,505,807.84 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $1,605,594.92 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,669,760.24 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,705,058.10 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,805,393.74 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,654,933.74 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,785,512.49 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,960,652.28 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $2,006,550.49 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $2,007,235.23 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,993,642.03 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,837,866.47 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,799,339.58 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,860,933.67 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,944,934.08 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,939,438.49 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,858,802.52 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $2,129,522.49 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $2,458,869.10 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $2,464,857.09 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $2,499,080.14 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $2,517,013.07 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $2,516,896.40 | 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 |