According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,816.98% higher in 2025 versus 1935 (a $290,716,478,873.24 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.34% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $16,000,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $306,716,478,873.24 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $16,000,000,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $16,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1936 | $16,075,117,370.89 | 0.47% |
| 1937 | $16,405,633,802.82 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $16,473,239,436.62 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $16,112,676,056.34 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $16,022,535,211.27 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $16,630,985,915.49 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $18,050,704,225.35 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $17,938,028,169.01 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $17,915,492,957.75 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $17,915,492,957.75 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $18,997,183,098.59 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $20,793,066,088.84 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $23,185,265,438.79 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $24,918,743,228.60 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $25,560,130,010.83 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $27,198,266,522.21 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $28,992,416,034.67 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $29,824,485,373.78 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $29,391,115,926.33 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $29,035,752,979.41 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $29,555,796,316.36 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $31,202,600,216.68 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $32,234,019,501.63 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $33,568,797,399.78 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $33,560,130,010.83 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $33,941,495,124.59 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $34,652,221,018.42 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $34,842,903,575.30 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $35,362,946,912.24 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $35,943,661,971.83 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $36,455,037,919.83 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $37,495,124,593.72 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $38,691,224,268.69 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $40,182,015,167.93 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $42,244,853,737.81 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $44,463,705,308.78 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $44,983,748,645.72 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $46,405,200,433.37 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $51,605,633,802.82 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $56,450,704,225.35 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $62,067,172,264.36 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $66,444,203,683.64 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $69,555,796,316.36 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $79,471,289,274.11 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $93,625,135,427.95 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $104,962,080,173.35 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $109,287,107,258.94 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $111,895,991,332.61 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $116,862,405,200.43 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $119,947,995,666.31 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $115,284,940,411.70 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $118,769,230,769.23 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $122,435,536,294.69 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $128,563,380,281.69 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $135,791,982,665.22 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $139,527,627,302.28 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $142,578,548,212.35 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $146,886,240,520.04 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $151,323,943,661.97 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $156,741,061,755.15 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $161,161,430,119.18 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $162,565,547,128.93 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $159,497,291,440.95 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $162,704,225,352.11 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $172,767,063,921.99 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $173,807,150,595.88 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $172,238,353,196.10 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $177,534,127,843.99 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $183,774,647,887.32 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $195,952,329,360.78 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $203,787,648,970.75 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $208,091,960,996.75 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $220,337,248,104.01 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $201,974,517,876.49 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $217,910,899,241.60 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $239,285,633,802.82 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $244,887,193,932.83 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $244,970,834,236.19 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $243,311,809,317.44 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $224,300,411,700.98 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $219,598,439,869.99 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $227,115,579,631.64 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $237,367,367,280.61 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $236,696,598,049.84 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $226,855,471,289.27 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $259,895,211,267.61 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $300,089,967,497.29 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $300,820,715,059.59 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $304,997,443,120.26 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $306,716,478,873.24 | 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 |