According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,816.45% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $254,302,987,697.72 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $14,000,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $268,302,987,697.72 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 $14,000,000,000 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 | $14,000,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $14,360,867,018.16 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $15,673,110,720.56 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $15,689,513,766.84 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $15,648,506,151.14 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $15,648,506,151.14 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $16,304,628,002.34 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $18,158,172,231.99 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $20,249,560,632.69 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $21,766,842,413.59 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $22,324,545,987.11 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $23,759,812,536.61 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $25,326,303,456.36 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $26,048,037,492.68 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $25,670,767,428.24 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $25,359,109,548.92 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $25,818,394,844.76 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $27,253,661,394.26 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $28,155,828,939.66 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $29,320,445,225.54 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $29,312,243,702.40 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $29,648,506,151.14 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $30,263,620,386.64 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $30,435,852,372.58 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $30,886,936,145.28 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $31,395,430,579.96 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $31,846,514,352.67 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $32,748,681,898.07 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $33,798,476,859.99 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $35,094,317,516.11 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $36,898,652,606.91 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $38,834,212,067.96 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $39,293,497,363.80 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $40,531,927,357.94 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $45,075,571,177.50 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $49,307,557,117.75 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $54,212,067,955.48 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $58,033,977,738.72 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $60,756,883,421.21 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $69,417,691,857.06 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $81,777,387,229.06 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $91,676,625,659.05 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $95,457,527,826.60 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $97,737,551,259.52 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $102,076,157,000.59 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $104,774,458,113.65 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $100,698,301,113.06 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $103,741,066,198.01 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $106,939,660,222.61 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $112,295,254,833.04 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $118,610,427,650.85 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $121,874,633,860.57 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $124,540,128,881.08 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $128,296,426,479.20 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $132,175,746,924.43 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $136,908,025,776.22 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $140,770,943,175.16 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $141,992,970,123.02 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $139,311,072,056.24 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $142,115,992,970.12 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $150,908,025,776.22 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $151,810,193,321.62 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $150,440,538,957.23 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $155,066,198,008.20 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $160,520,210,896.31 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $171,157,586,408.90 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $177,997,656,707.67 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $181,760,433,509.08 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $192,456,285,881.66 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $176,417,141,183.36 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $190,336,930,287.05 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $209,006,959,578.21 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $213,899,742,237.84 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $213,972,735,793.79 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $212,523,690,685.41 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $195,917,902,753.37 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $191,810,908,025.78 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $198,376,883,421.21 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $207,331,388,400.70 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $206,745,553,602.81 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $198,149,701,230.23 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $227,008,646,748.68 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $262,117,234,915.06 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $262,755,559,461.04 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $266,403,760,984.18 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $268,315,424,189.17 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $268,302,987,697.72 | 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 |