According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $35,044.25 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 $1,960 in the year 1940 would cost $37,004.25 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 $1,960 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 | $1,960.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $2,010.52 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $2,194.24 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $2,196.53 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $2,190.79 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $2,190.79 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $2,282.65 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $2,542.14 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $2,834.94 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $3,047.36 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $3,125.44 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $3,326.37 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $3,545.68 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $3,646.73 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $3,593.91 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $3,550.28 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $3,614.58 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $3,815.51 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $3,941.82 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $4,104.86 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $4,103.71 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $4,150.79 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $4,236.91 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $4,261.02 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $4,324.17 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $4,395.36 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $4,458.51 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $4,584.82 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $4,731.79 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $4,913.20 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $5,165.81 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $5,436.79 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $5,501.09 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $5,674.47 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $6,310.58 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $6,903.06 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $7,589.69 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $8,124.76 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $8,505.96 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $9,718.48 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $11,448.83 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $12,834.73 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $13,364.05 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $13,683.26 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $14,290.66 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $14,668.42 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $14,097.76 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $14,523.75 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $14,971.55 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $15,721.34 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $16,605.46 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $17,062.45 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $17,435.62 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $17,961.50 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $18,504.60 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $19,167.12 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $19,707.93 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $19,879.02 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $19,503.55 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $19,896.24 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $21,127.12 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $21,253.43 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $21,061.68 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $21,709.27 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $22,472.83 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $23,962.06 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $24,919.67 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $25,446.46 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $26,943.88 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $24,698.40 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $26,647.17 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $29,260.97 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $29,945.96 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $29,956.18 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $29,753.32 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $27,428.51 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $26,853.53 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $27,772.76 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $29,026.39 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $28,944.38 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $27,740.96 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $31,781.21 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $36,696.41 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $36,785.78 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $37,296.53 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $37,518.26 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $37,004.25 | -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 |