According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 152.27% higher in 2026 versus 1985 (a $1,056,763,985,909.98 difference in value).
Between 1985 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.28% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $694,000,000,000 in the year 1985 would cost $1,750,763,985,909.98 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.74% 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 1985-2026 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 $694,000,000,000 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 | $694,000,000,000.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $667,000,547,945.21 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $687,155,068,493.15 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $708,341,761,252.45 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $743,815,890,410.96 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $785,646,027,397.26 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $807,267,318,982.39 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $824,922,896,281.80 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $849,803,679,060.67 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $875,499,334,637.96 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $906,844,774,951.08 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $932,431,780,821.92 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $940,526,183,953.03 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $922,761,956,947.16 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $941,341,056,751.47 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $999,577,299,412.92 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $1,005,553,033,268.10 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $996,480,782,778.87 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $1,027,120,000,000.00 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $1,063,246,027,397.26 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $1,133,705,362,035.23 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,179,012,289,628.18 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,203,935,989,041.10 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,274,782,659,882.58 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,168,543,347,162.43 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,260,744,574,559.69 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,384,410,213,698.63 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,416,818,791,389.43 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,417,302,282,583.17 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,407,704,167,514.68 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,297,711,550,684.93 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,270,507,837,182.00 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,313,999,228,180.04 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,373,311,646,183.95 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,369,431,221,917.81 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,312,494,429,745.60 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,503,648,920,547.95 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,736,199,492,759.30 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,740,427,596,086.11 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,764,592,377,299.41 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,775,083,049,706.46 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $1,750,763,985,909.98 | -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 |