According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $667,919.59 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 $38,000 in the year 1938 would cost $705,919.59 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 $38,000 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 | $38,000.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $37,072.12 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $36,834.75 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $37,784.21 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $41,236.80 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $41,279.95 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $41,172.06 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $41,172.06 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $42,898.35 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $47,775.13 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $53,277.68 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $57,269.73 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $58,737.08 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $62,513.34 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $66,634.87 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $68,533.79 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $67,541.17 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $66,721.18 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $67,929.59 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $71,705.85 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $74,079.50 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $77,143.67 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $77,122.09 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $78,006.81 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $79,625.21 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $80,078.36 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $81,265.19 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $82,603.07 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $83,789.89 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $86,163.54 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $88,925.61 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $92,335.04 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $97,082.34 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $102,174.90 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $103,383.30 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $106,641.68 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $118,596.25 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $129,730.83 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $142,634.87 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $152,690.52 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $159,854.63 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $182,641.68 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $215,160.70 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $241,206.13 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $251,153.89 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $257,152.75 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $268,567.86 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $275,667.23 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $264,942.65 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $272,948.32 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $281,364.00 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $295,454.86 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $312,070.41 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $320,658.72 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $327,671.78 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $337,554.80 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $347,761.50 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $360,212.38 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $370,375.92 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $373,591.14 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $366,534.92 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $373,914.82 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $397,047.13 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $399,420.78 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $395,817.15 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $407,987.51 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $422,337.31 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $450,324.82 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $468,321.41 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $478,221.48 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $506,362.84 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $464,162.99 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $500,786.70 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $549,908.55 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $562,781.73 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $562,973.78 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $559,161.26 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $515,470.54 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $504,664.82 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $521,940.25 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $545,500.03 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $543,958.67 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $521,342.52 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $597,271.96 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $689,644.54 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $691,324.01 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $700,922.62 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $705,952.31 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $705,919.59 | 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 |