According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $17,881,957,756.95 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.48% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $1,000,125,223 in the year 1940 would cost $18,882,082,979.95 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.64%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $1,000,125,223 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $1,000,125,223.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $1,025,904,666.36 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $1,119,648,096.75 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $1,120,819,889.63 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $1,117,890,407.43 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $1,117,890,407.43 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $1,164,762,122.63 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $1,297,174,718.06 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $1,446,578,310.24 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $1,554,969,151.64 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $1,594,810,109.55 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $1,697,341,986.54 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $1,809,248,206.58 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $1,860,807,093.29 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $1,833,855,857.05 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $1,811,591,792.34 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $1,844,401,992.97 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $1,946,933,869.96 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $2,011,382,478.36 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $2,094,579,772.83 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $2,093,993,876.39 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $2,118,015,630.43 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $2,161,957,863.43 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $2,174,261,688.67 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $2,206,485,992.86 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $2,242,811,572.14 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $2,275,035,876.34 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $2,339,484,484.73 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $2,414,479,229.05 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $2,507,050,866.56 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $2,635,948,083.35 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $2,774,219,643.18 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $2,807,029,843.82 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $2,895,500,206.25 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $3,220,086,833.98 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $3,522,409,397.00 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $3,872,775,468.09 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $4,145,803,209.11 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $4,340,320,827.17 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $4,959,027,467.76 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $5,841,973,402.77 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $6,549,150,405.80 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $6,819,248,664.61 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $6,982,127,874.92 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $7,292,067,091.66 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $7,484,827,020.40 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $7,193,636,489.74 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $7,411,004,068.97 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $7,639,503,680.55 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $8,022,094,055.84 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $8,473,234,314.60 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $8,706,421,097.70 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $8,896,837,440.69 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $9,165,178,010.19 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $9,442,307,026.28 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $9,780,369,272.14 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $10,056,326,495.36 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $10,143,625,064.91 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $9,952,036,929.04 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $10,152,413,511.51 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $10,780,494,495.14 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $10,844,943,103.53 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $10,747,098,398.06 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $11,077,543,990.19 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $11,467,165,122.76 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $12,227,072,805.38 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $12,715,710,436.30 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $12,984,513,863.99 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $13,748,598,988.23 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $12,602,802,333.36 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $13,597,197,489.18 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $14,930,938,004.05 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $15,280,466,243.23 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $15,285,680,721.55 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $15,182,164,538.54 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $13,995,888,298.64 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $13,702,494,797.37 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $14,171,551,769.26 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $14,811,239,361.37 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $14,769,388,778.66 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $14,155,322,437.88 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $16,216,933,818.03 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $18,725,004,144.40 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $18,770,604,464.32 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $19,031,222,918.74 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $19,144,365,380.26 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $18,882,082,979.95 | -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 |