According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $10,546,098.81 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 $600,000 in the year 1938 would cost $11,146,098.81 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 $600,000 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 | $600,000.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $585,349.23 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $581,601.36 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $596,592.84 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $651,107.33 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $651,788.76 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $650,085.18 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $650,085.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $677,342.42 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $754,344.12 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $841,226.58 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $904,258.94 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $927,427.60 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $987,052.81 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $1,052,129.47 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $1,082,112.44 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $1,066,439.52 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $1,053,492.33 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $1,072,572.40 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $1,132,197.61 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $1,169,676.32 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $1,218,057.92 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $1,217,717.21 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $1,231,686.54 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $1,257,240.20 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $1,264,395.23 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $1,283,134.58 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $1,304,258.94 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $1,322,998.30 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $1,360,477.00 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $1,404,088.59 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $1,457,921.64 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $1,532,879.05 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $1,613,287.90 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,632,367.97 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $1,683,816.01 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $1,872,572.40 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $2,048,381.60 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $2,252,129.47 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $2,410,902.90 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $2,524,020.44 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $2,883,816.01 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $3,397,274.28 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $3,808,517.89 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $3,965,587.73 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $4,060,306.64 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $4,240,545.14 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $4,352,640.55 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $4,183,304.94 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $4,309,710.39 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $4,442,589.44 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $4,665,076.66 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $4,927,427.60 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $5,063,032.37 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $5,173,764.91 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $5,329,812.61 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $5,490,971.04 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $5,687,563.88 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $5,848,040.89 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $5,898,807.50 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $5,787,393.53 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $5,903,918.23 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $6,269,165.25 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $6,306,643.95 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $6,249,744.46 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $6,441,908.01 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $6,668,483.82 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $7,110,391.82 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $7,394,548.55 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $7,550,865.42 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $7,995,202.73 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $7,328,889.27 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $7,907,158.43 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $8,682,766.61 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $8,886,027.26 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $8,889,059.63 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $8,828,862.01 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $8,139,008.52 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $7,968,391.82 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $8,241,161.84 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $8,613,158.43 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $8,588,821.12 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $8,231,724.02 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $9,430,609.88 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $10,889,124.36 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $10,915,642.25 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $11,067,199.32 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $11,146,615.46 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $11,146,098.81 | 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 |