According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,730.08% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $692,031,345.83 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.36% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $40,000,000 in the year 1938 would cost $732,031,345.83 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 $40,000,000 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 | $40,000,000.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $39,023,282.23 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $38,773,424.19 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $39,772,856.33 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $43,407,155.03 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $43,452,583.76 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $43,339,011.93 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $43,339,011.93 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $45,156,161.27 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $50,289,608.18 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $56,081,771.72 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $60,283,929.59 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $61,828,506.53 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $65,803,520.73 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $70,141,964.79 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $72,140,829.07 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $71,095,968.20 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $70,232,822.26 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $71,504,826.80 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $75,479,841.00 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $77,978,421.35 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $81,203,861.44 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $81,181,147.08 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $82,112,436.12 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $83,816,013.63 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $84,293,015.33 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $85,542,305.51 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $86,950,596.25 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $88,199,886.43 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $90,698,466.78 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $93,605,905.74 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $97,194,775.70 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $102,191,936.40 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $107,552,526.97 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $108,824,531.52 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $112,254,400.91 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $124,838,160.14 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $136,558,773.42 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $150,141,964.79 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $160,726,859.74 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $168,268,029.53 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $192,254,400.91 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $226,484,951.73 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $253,901,192.50 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $264,372,515.62 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $270,687,109.60 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $282,703,009.65 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $290,176,036.34 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $278,886,996.02 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $287,314,026.12 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $296,172,629.19 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $311,005,110.73 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $328,495,173.20 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $337,535,491.20 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $344,917,660.42 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $355,320,840.43 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $366,064,735.95 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $379,170,925.61 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $389,869,392.39 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $393,253,833.05 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $385,826,235.09 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $393,594,548.55 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $417,944,349.80 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $420,442,930.15 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $416,649,630.89 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $429,460,533.79 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $444,565,587.73 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $474,026,121.52 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $492,969,903.46 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $503,391,027.83 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $533,013,515.05 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $488,592,617.83 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $527,143,895.51 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $578,851,107.33 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $592,401,817.15 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $592,603,975.01 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $588,590,800.68 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $542,600,567.86 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $531,226,121.52 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $549,410,789.32 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $574,210,562.18 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $572,588,074.96 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $548,781,601.36 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $628,707,325.38 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $725,941,624.08 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $727,709,483.25 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $737,813,287.90 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $742,199,659.28 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $732,031,345.83 | -1.37%* |
* 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 | 272.295 | 268.564 |