According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,780.64% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $236,825,082,601.05 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.47% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $13,300,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $250,125,082,601.05 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% 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 $13,300,000,000 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 | $13,300,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $13,642,823,667.25 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $14,889,455,184.53 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $14,905,038,078.50 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $14,866,080,843.59 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $14,866,080,843.59 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $15,489,396,602.23 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $17,250,263,620.39 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $19,237,082,601.05 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $20,678,500,292.91 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $21,208,318,687.76 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $22,571,821,909.78 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $24,059,988,283.54 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $24,745,635,618.04 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $24,387,229,056.82 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $24,091,154,071.47 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $24,527,475,102.52 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $25,890,978,324.55 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $26,748,037,492.68 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $27,854,422,964.26 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $27,846,631,517.28 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $28,166,080,843.59 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $28,750,439,367.31 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $28,914,059,753.95 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $29,342,589,338.02 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $29,825,659,050.97 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $30,254,188,635.03 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $31,111,247,803.16 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $32,108,553,016.99 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $33,339,601,640.30 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $35,053,719,976.57 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $36,892,501,464.56 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $37,328,822,495.61 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $38,505,330,990.04 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $42,821,792,618.63 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $46,842,179,261.86 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $51,501,464,557.70 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $55,132,278,851.79 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $57,719,039,250.15 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $65,946,807,264.21 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $77,688,517,867.60 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $87,092,794,376.10 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $90,684,651,435.27 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $92,850,673,696.54 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $96,972,349,150.56 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $99,535,735,207.97 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $95,663,386,057.41 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $98,554,012,888.11 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $101,592,677,211.48 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $106,680,492,091.39 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $112,679,906,268.31 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $115,780,902,167.55 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $118,313,122,437.02 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $121,881,605,155.24 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $125,566,959,578.21 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $130,062,624,487.40 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $133,732,396,016.40 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $134,893,321,616.87 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $132,345,518,453.43 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $135,010,193,321.62 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $143,362,624,487.40 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $144,219,683,655.54 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $142,918,512,009.37 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $147,312,888,107.79 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $152,494,200,351.49 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $162,599,707,088.46 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $169,097,773,872.29 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $172,672,411,833.63 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $182,833,471,587.58 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $167,596,284,124.19 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $180,820,083,772.70 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $198,556,611,599.30 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $203,204,755,125.95 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $203,274,099,004.10 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $201,897,506,151.14 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $186,122,007,615.70 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $182,220,362,624.49 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $188,458,039,250.15 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $196,964,818,980.67 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $196,408,275,922.67 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $188,242,216,168.72 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $215,658,214,411.25 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $249,011,373,169.30 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $249,617,781,487.99 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $253,083,572,934.97 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $254,588,179,261.86 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $250,125,082,601.05 | -1.75%* |
* 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 | 267.521 |