According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $21,092.20 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $1,200 in the year 1938 would cost $22,292.20 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 1.15%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1938-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $1,200 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 | $1,200.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $1,170.70 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $1,163.20 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $1,193.19 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $1,302.21 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $1,303.58 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $1,300.17 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $1,300.17 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $1,354.68 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $1,508.69 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $1,682.45 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $1,808.52 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $1,854.86 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $1,974.11 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $2,104.26 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $2,164.22 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $2,132.88 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $2,106.98 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $2,145.14 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $2,264.40 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $2,339.35 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $2,436.12 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $2,435.43 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $2,463.37 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $2,514.48 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $2,528.79 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $2,566.27 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $2,608.52 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $2,646.00 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $2,720.95 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $2,808.18 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $2,915.84 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $3,065.76 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $3,226.58 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $3,264.74 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $3,367.63 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $3,745.14 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $4,096.76 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $4,504.26 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $4,821.81 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $5,048.04 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $5,767.63 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $6,794.55 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $7,617.04 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $7,931.18 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $8,120.61 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $8,481.09 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $8,705.28 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $8,366.61 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $8,619.42 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $8,885.18 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $9,330.15 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $9,854.86 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $10,126.06 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $10,347.53 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $10,659.63 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $10,981.94 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $11,375.13 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $11,696.08 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $11,797.61 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $11,574.79 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $11,807.84 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $12,538.33 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $12,613.29 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $12,499.49 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $12,883.82 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $13,336.97 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $14,220.78 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $14,789.10 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $15,101.73 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $15,990.41 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $14,657.78 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $15,814.32 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $17,365.53 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $17,772.05 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $17,778.12 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $17,657.72 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $16,278.02 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $15,936.78 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $16,482.32 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $17,226.32 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $17,177.64 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $16,463.45 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $18,861.22 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $21,778.25 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $21,831.28 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $22,134.40 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $22,293.23 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $22,292.20 | 0.00%* |
* 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 | 272.628 | 272.615 |