According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,761.91% higher in 2025 versus 1938 (a $740 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.42% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $42 in the year 1938 would cost $782 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.66% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0.41%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1938-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $42 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 | $42.00 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $41.08 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $40.85 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $42.40 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $46.02 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $45.73 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $45.68 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $45.68 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $48.44 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $53.01 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $59.11 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $63.53 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $65.17 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $69.34 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $73.92 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $76.04 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $74.94 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $74.03 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $75.36 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $79.55 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $82.18 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $85.59 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $85.56 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $86.54 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $88.35 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $88.84 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $90.16 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $91.64 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $92.95 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $95.60 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $98.65 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $102.45 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $107.71 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $113.36 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $114.69 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $118.31 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $131.57 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $143.93 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $158.25 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $169.41 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $177.34 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $202.62 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $238.71 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $267.61 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $278.64 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $285.29 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $297.95 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $305.82 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $293.93 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $302.81 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $312.16 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $327.78 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $346.21 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $355.74 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $363.52 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $374.50 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $385.81 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $399.63 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $410.90 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $414.48 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $406.65 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $414.83 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $440.49 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $443.14 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $439.14 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $452.64 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $468.55 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $499.60 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $519.57 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $530.55 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $561.77 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $514.95 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $555.58 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $610.08 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $624.36 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $624.58 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $620.35 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $571.87 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $559.89 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $579.05 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $605.19 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $603.48 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $578.39 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $662.63 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $765.11 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $766.97 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $777.62 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $782.00 | 0.56%* |
* 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 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.211 |