According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $5,273,049.40 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 $300,000 in the year 1938 would cost $5,573,049.40 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 $300,000 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 | $300,000.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $292,674.62 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $290,800.68 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $298,296.42 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $325,553.66 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $325,894.38 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $325,042.59 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $325,042.59 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $338,671.21 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $377,172.06 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $420,613.29 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $452,129.47 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $463,713.80 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $493,526.41 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $526,064.74 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $541,056.22 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $533,219.76 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $526,746.17 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $536,286.20 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $566,098.81 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $584,838.16 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $609,028.96 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $608,858.60 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $615,843.27 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $628,620.10 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $632,197.61 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $641,567.29 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $652,129.47 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $661,499.15 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $680,238.50 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $702,044.29 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $728,960.82 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $766,439.52 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $806,643.95 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $816,183.99 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $841,908.01 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $936,286.20 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,024,190.80 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,126,064.74 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $1,205,451.45 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $1,262,010.22 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $1,441,908.01 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $1,698,637.14 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $1,904,258.94 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $1,982,793.87 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $2,030,153.32 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $2,120,272.57 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $2,176,320.27 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $2,091,652.47 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $2,154,855.20 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $2,221,294.72 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $2,332,538.33 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $2,463,713.80 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $2,531,516.18 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $2,586,882.45 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $2,664,906.30 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $2,745,485.52 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $2,843,781.94 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $2,924,020.44 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $2,949,403.75 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $2,893,696.76 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $2,951,959.11 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $3,134,582.62 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $3,153,321.98 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $3,124,872.23 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $3,220,954.00 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $3,334,241.91 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $3,555,195.91 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $3,697,274.28 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $3,775,432.71 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $3,997,601.36 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $3,664,444.63 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $3,953,579.22 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $4,341,383.30 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $4,443,013.63 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $4,444,529.81 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $4,414,431.01 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $4,069,504.26 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $3,984,195.91 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $4,120,580.92 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $4,306,579.22 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $4,294,410.56 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $4,115,862.01 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $4,715,304.94 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $5,444,562.18 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $5,457,821.12 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $5,533,599.66 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $5,573,307.73 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $5,573,049.40 | 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 |