According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $166,979.90 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 $9,500 in the year 1938 would cost $176,479.90 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 $9,500 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 | $9,500.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $9,268.03 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $9,208.69 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $9,446.05 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $10,309.20 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $10,319.99 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $10,293.02 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $10,293.02 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $10,724.59 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $11,943.78 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $13,319.42 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $14,317.43 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $14,684.27 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $15,628.34 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $16,658.72 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $17,133.45 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $16,885.29 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $16,680.30 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $16,982.40 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $17,926.46 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $18,519.88 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $19,285.92 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $19,280.52 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $19,501.70 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $19,906.30 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $20,019.59 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $20,316.30 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $20,650.77 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $20,947.47 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $21,540.89 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $22,231.40 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $23,083.76 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $24,270.58 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $25,543.73 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $25,845.83 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $26,660.42 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $29,649.06 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $32,432.71 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $35,658.72 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $38,172.63 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $39,963.66 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $45,660.42 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $53,790.18 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $60,301.53 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $62,788.47 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $64,288.19 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $67,141.96 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $68,916.81 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $66,235.66 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $68,237.08 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $70,341.00 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $73,863.71 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $78,017.60 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $80,164.68 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $81,917.94 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $84,388.70 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $86,940.37 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $90,053.09 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $92,593.98 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $93,397.79 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $91,633.73 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $93,478.71 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $99,261.78 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $99,855.20 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $98,954.29 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $101,996.88 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $105,584.33 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $112,581.20 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $117,080.35 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $119,555.37 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $126,590.71 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $116,040.75 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $125,196.68 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $137,477.14 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $140,695.43 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $140,743.44 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $139,790.32 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $128,867.63 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $126,166.20 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $130,485.06 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $136,375.01 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $135,989.67 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $130,335.63 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $149,317.99 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $172,411.14 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $172,831.00 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $175,230.66 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $176,488.08 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $176,479.90 | 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 |