According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 155.71% higher in 2025 versus 1985 (a $48,269,443,330.44 difference in value).
Between 1985 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.37% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $31,000,000,000 in the year 1985 would cost $79,269,443,330.44 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.77% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1985: Pricing changed by 2.64%, which is above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1985-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1985 (3.55%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $31,000,000,000 beginning in 1985. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | $31,000,000,000.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $29,794,855,119.59 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $30,695,353,710.53 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $31,642,893,272.64 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $33,226,605,968.64 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $35,094,804,537.90 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $36,060,264,469.98 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $36,848,760,748.61 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $37,962,063,732.93 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $39,108,967,410.94 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $40,508,996,314.76 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $41,651,419,900.28 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $42,014,307,392.15 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $41,221,331,021.03 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $42,050,148,132.09 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $44,650,841,823.83 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $44,919,647,373.37 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $44,514,199,002.82 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $45,882,867,259.20 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $47,495,700,556.40 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $50,642,965,532.19 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $52,667,967,338.68 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $53,780,396,704.96 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $56,945,134,041.48 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $52,199,372,064.46 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $56,318,055,495.34 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $61,842,255,943.35 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $63,289,953,031.29 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $63,311,569,477.56 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $62,882,802,225.59 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $57,969,395,187.51 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $56,754,192,499.46 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $58,696,962,208.25 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $61,346,488,908.16 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $61,173,131,729.17 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $58,629,738,420.41 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $67,168,705,108.75 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $77,556,852,373.73 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $77,745,710,672.74 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $78,825,166,558.28 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $79,269,443,330.44 | 0.56%* |
* 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 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.211 |