According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation services are 3,714.38% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $742.88 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026:Transportation services experienced an average inflation rate of 4.22% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation services costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $762.88 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for transportation services was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0.50%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation services during the 1938-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for transportation services was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | 0.50% |
| 1939 | $20.07 | 0.35% |
| 1940 | $20.07 | 0.00% ** |
| 1941 | $20.10 | 0.14% |
| 1942 | $21.20 | 5.50% |
| 1943 | $21.22 | 0.07% |
| 1944 | $21.26 | 0.20% |
| 1945 | $21.26 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $21.60 | 1.60% |
| 1947 | $22.28 | 3.15% |
| 1948 | $24.62 | 10.50% |
| 1949 | $27.64 | 12.26% |
| 1950 | $29.41 | 6.41% |
| 1951 | $32.18 | 9.40% |
| 1952 | $34.37 | 6.83% |
| 1953 | $36.67 | 6.68% |
| 1954 | $38.40 | 4.72% |
| 1955 | $38.55 | 0.41% |
| 1956 | $39.12 | 1.47% |
| 1957 | $41.01 | 4.82% |
| 1958 | $43.59 | 6.29% |
| 1959 | $45.10 | 3.48% |
| 1960 | $46.29 | 2.64% |
| 1961 | $47.34 | 2.27% |
| 1962 | $48.05 | 1.50% |
| 1963 | $48.62 | 1.18% |
| 1964 | $49.67 | 2.16% |
| 1965 | $51.61 | 3.91% |
| 1966 | $53.75 | 4.15% |
| 1967 | $55.49 | 3.24% |
| 1968 | $57.72 | 4.01% |
| 1969 | $61.76 | 7.00% |
| 1970 | $68.33 | 10.65% |
| 1971 | $73.86 | 8.09% |
| 1972 | $75.52 | 2.25% |
| 1973 | $75.99 | 0.62% |
| 1974 | $78.80 | 3.69% |
| 1975 | $84.76 | 7.57% |
| 1976 | $96.74 | 14.13% |
| 1977 | $104.56 | 8.09% |
| 1978 | $109.60 | 4.81% |
| 1979 | $118.16 | 7.81% |
| 1980 | $134.70 | 14.00% |
| 1981 | $150.77 | 11.93% |
| 1982 | $163.46 | 8.41% |
| 1983 | $168.59 | 3.14% |
| 1984 | $178.26 | 5.73% |
| 1985 | $187.10 | 4.96% |
| 1986 | $197.83 | 5.73% |
| 1987 | $207.34 | 4.81% |
| 1988 | $217.76 | 5.02% |
| 1989 | $230.66 | 5.92% |
| 1990 | $245.20 | 6.30% |
| 1991 | $257.09 | 4.85% |
| 1992 | $264.76 | 2.98% |
| 1993 | $277.05 | 4.64% |
| 1994 | $286.72 | 3.49% |
| 1995 | $299.11 | 4.32% |
| 1996 | $306.93 | 2.62% |
| 1997 | $314.71 | 2.54% |
| 1998 | $319.55 | 1.54% |
| 1999 | $324.31 | 1.49% |
| 2000 | $333.54 | 2.85% |
| 2001 | $343.35 | 2.94% |
| 2002 | $355.71 | 3.60% |
| 2003 | $367.94 | 3.44% |
| 2004 | $375.15 | 1.96% |
| 2005 | $383.81 | 2.31% |
| 2006 | $392.49 | 2.26% |
| 2007 | $397.56 | 1.29% |
| 2008 | $415.15 | 4.43% |
| 2009 | $426.98 | 2.85% |
| 2010 | $441.94 | 3.50% |
| 2011 | $455.85 | 3.15% |
| 2012 | $464.11 | 1.81% |
| 2013 | $476.26 | 2.62% |
| 2014 | $485.20 | 1.88% |
| 2015 | $494.99 | 2.02% |
| 2016 | $509.30 | 2.89% |
| 2017 | $527.14 | 3.50% |
| 2018 | $547.38 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $552.75 | 0.98% |
| 2020 | $532.05 | -3.74% |
| 2021 | $551.39 | 3.63% |
| 2022 | $608.55 | 10.37% |
| 2023 | $673.96 | 10.75% |
| 2024 | $735.06 | 9.07% |
| 2025 | $759.46 | 3.32% |
| 2026 | $762.88 | 0.45%* |
* 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 services:
| 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 | 11.800 | 11.750 | 11.700 | 11.758 | 11.800 | 11.800 | 11.817 | 12.467 | 12.475 | 12.500 | 12.500 | 12.700 | 13.100 | 14.475 | 16.250 | 17.292 | 18.917 | 20.208 | 21.558 | 22.575 | 22.667 | 23.000 | 24.108 | 25.625 | 26.517 | 27.217 | 27.833 | 28.250 | 28.583 | 29.200 | 30.342 | 31.600 | 32.625 | 33.933 | 36.308 | 40.175 | 43.425 | 44.400 | 44.675 | 46.325 | 49.833 | 56.875 | 61.475 | 64.433 | 69.467 | 79.192 | 88.642 | 96.100 | 99.117 | 104.800 | 110.000 | 116.308 | 121.900 | 128.025 | 135.608 | 144.158 | 151.150 | 155.658 | 162.883 | 168.567 | 175.850 | 180.450 | 185.025 | 187.867 | 190.667 | 196.092 | 201.858 | 209.125 | 216.317 | 220.558 | 225.650 | 230.750 | 233.731 | 244.074 | 251.031 | 259.823 | 268.002 | 272.858 | 280.002 | 285.255 | 291.012 | 299.427 | 309.915 | 321.814 | 324.970 | 312.803 | 324.169 | 357.778 | 396.233 | 432.157 | 446.499 | 448.507 |