According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 155.71% higher in 2025 versus 1985 (a $288,059,581,165.55 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 $185,000,000,000 in the year 1985 would cost $473,059,581,165.55 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 $185,000,000,000 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 | $185,000,000,000.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $177,808,006,358.84 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $183,181,949,562.83 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $188,836,621,143.15 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $198,287,809,812.85 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $209,436,736,758.44 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $215,198,352,482.12 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $219,903,894,790.09 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $226,547,799,696.51 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $233,392,224,871.74 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $241,747,236,071.97 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $248,564,925,211.36 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $250,730,544,114.46 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $245,998,265,770.65 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $250,944,432,401.19 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $266,464,701,206.73 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $268,068,863,357.18 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $265,649,252,113.59 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $273,817,111,062.94 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $283,442,083,965.60 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $302,224,149,143.72 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $314,308,837,343.74 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $320,947,528,723.17 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $339,833,864,441.07 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $311,512,381,674.98 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $336,091,621,504.44 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $369,058,624,178.05 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $377,698,106,799.62 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $377,827,108,172.56 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $375,268,335,862.42 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $345,946,390,635.16 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $338,694,374,593.54 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $350,288,322,855.70 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $366,100,014,451.91 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $365,065,463,545.05 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $349,887,148,637.91 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $400,845,498,229.64 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $462,839,280,294.82 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $463,966,337,885.69 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $470,408,252,041.33 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $473,059,581,165.55 | 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 |