According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $21,276,865,377.86 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 $1,190,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $22,466,865,377.86 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 $1,190,000,000 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 | $1,190,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $1,220,673,696.54 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $1,332,214,411.25 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $1,333,608,670.18 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $1,330,123,022.85 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $1,330,123,022.85 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $1,385,893,380.20 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $1,543,444,639.72 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $1,721,212,653.78 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $1,850,181,605.16 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $1,897,586,408.90 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $2,019,584,065.61 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $2,152,735,793.79 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $2,214,083,186.88 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $2,182,015,231.40 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $2,155,524,311.66 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $2,194,563,561.80 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $2,316,561,218.51 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $2,393,245,459.87 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $2,492,237,844.17 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $2,491,540,714.70 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $2,520,123,022.85 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $2,572,407,732.86 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $2,587,047,451.67 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $2,625,389,572.35 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $2,668,611,599.30 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $2,706,953,719.98 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $2,783,637,961.34 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $2,872,870,533.10 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $2,983,016,988.87 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $3,136,385,471.59 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $3,300,908,025.78 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $3,339,947,275.92 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $3,445,213,825.42 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $3,831,423,550.09 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $4,191,142,355.01 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $4,608,025,776.22 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $4,932,888,107.79 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $5,164,335,090.80 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $5,900,503,807.85 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $6,951,077,914.47 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $7,792,513,181.02 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $8,113,889,865.26 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $8,307,691,857.06 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $8,676,473,345.05 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $8,905,828,939.66 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $8,559,355,594.61 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $8,817,990,626.83 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $9,089,871,118.92 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $9,545,096,660.81 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $10,081,886,350.32 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $10,359,343,878.15 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $10,585,910,954.89 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $10,905,196,250.73 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $11,234,938,488.58 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $11,637,182,190.98 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $11,965,530,169.89 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $12,069,402,460.46 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $11,841,441,124.78 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $12,079,859,402.46 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $12,827,182,190.98 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $12,903,866,432.34 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $12,787,445,811.36 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $13,180,626,830.70 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $13,644,217,926.19 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $14,548,394,844.76 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $15,129,800,820.15 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $15,449,636,848.27 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $16,358,784,299.94 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $14,995,457,000.59 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $16,178,639,074.40 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $17,765,591,564.15 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $18,181,478,090.22 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $18,187,682,542.47 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $18,064,513,708.26 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $16,653,021,734.04 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $16,303,927,182.19 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $16,862,035,090.80 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $17,623,168,014.06 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $17,573,372,056.24 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $16,842,724,604.57 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $19,295,734,973.64 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $22,279,964,967.78 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $22,334,222,554.19 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $22,644,319,683.66 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $22,778,942,355.01 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $22,466,865,377.86 | -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 |