According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $65,034.28 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 $3,700 in the year 1938 would cost $68,734.28 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 $3,700 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 | $3,700.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $3,609.65 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $3,586.54 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $3,678.99 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $4,015.16 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $4,019.36 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $4,008.86 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $4,008.86 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $4,176.94 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $4,651.79 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $5,187.56 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $5,576.26 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $5,719.14 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $6,086.83 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $6,488.13 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $6,673.03 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $6,576.38 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $6,496.54 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $6,614.20 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $6,981.89 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $7,213.00 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $7,511.36 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $7,509.26 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $7,595.40 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $7,752.98 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $7,797.10 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $7,912.66 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $8,042.93 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $8,158.49 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $8,389.61 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $8,658.55 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $8,990.52 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $9,452.75 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $9,948.61 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $10,066.27 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $10,383.53 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $11,547.53 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $12,631.69 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $13,888.13 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $14,867.23 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $15,564.79 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $17,783.53 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $20,949.86 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $23,485.86 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $24,454.46 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $25,038.56 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $26,150.03 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $26,841.28 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $25,797.05 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $26,576.55 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $27,395.97 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $28,767.97 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $30,385.80 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $31,222.03 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $31,904.88 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $32,867.18 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $33,860.99 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $35,073.31 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $36,062.92 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $36,375.98 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $35,688.93 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $36,407.50 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $38,659.85 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $38,890.97 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $38,540.09 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $39,725.10 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $41,122.32 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $43,847.42 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $45,599.72 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $46,563.67 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $49,303.75 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $45,194.82 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $48,760.81 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $53,543.73 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $54,797.17 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $54,815.87 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $54,444.65 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $50,190.55 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $49,138.42 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $50,820.50 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $53,114.48 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $52,964.40 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $50,762.30 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $58,155.43 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $67,149.60 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $67,313.13 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $68,247.73 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $68,737.46 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $68,734.28 | 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 |