According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,780.64% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $356,127,943,725.37 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 $19,999,999,998 in the year 1940 would cost $376,127,943,723.37 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 $19,999,999,998 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 | $19,999,999,998.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $20,515,524,309.61 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $22,390,158,169.99 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $22,413,591,093.25 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $22,355,008,785.11 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $22,355,008,785.11 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $23,292,325,715.30 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $25,940,246,043.10 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $28,927,943,758.09 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $31,095,489,159.16 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $31,892,208,549.83 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $33,942,589,334.63 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $36,180,433,505.46 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $37,211,482,128.67 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $36,672,524,893.81 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $36,227,299,351.97 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $36,883,421,203.11 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $38,933,801,987.91 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $40,222,612,766.92 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $41,886,350,318.01 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $41,874,633,856.39 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $42,355,008,783.11 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $43,233,743,405.17 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $43,479,789,099.34 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $44,124,194,488.85 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $44,850,615,109.75 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $45,495,020,499.26 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $46,783,831,278.27 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $48,283,538,366.58 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $50,134,739,303.72 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $52,712,360,861.75 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $55,477,445,805.82 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $56,133,567,656.95 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $57,902,753,362.69 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $64,393,673,104.28 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $70,439,367,304.03 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $77,445,811,357.22 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $82,905,682,475.60 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $86,795,547,735.90 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $99,168,131,214.45 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $116,824,838,886.97 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $130,966,608,071.26 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $136,367,896,881.50 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $139,625,073,213.92 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $145,823,081,414.83 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $149,677,797,290.25 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $143,854,715,861.42 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $148,201,523,125.19 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $152,770,943,159.88 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $160,421,792,602.59 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $169,443,468,055.70 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $174,106,619,783.41 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $177,914,469,812.32 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $183,280,609,237.68 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $188,822,495,587.44 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $195,582,893,946.46 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $201,101,347,372.98 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $202,847,100,155.46 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $199,015,817,203.30 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $203,022,847,079.87 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $215,582,893,944.46 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $216,871,704,723.48 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $214,915,055,631.70 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $221,523,139,989.56 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $229,314,586,971.80 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $244,510,837,702.56 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $254,282,366,699.82 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $259,657,762,129.86 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $274,937,551,232.03 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $252,024,487,379.60 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $271,909,900,382.89 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $298,581,370,796.15 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $305,571,060,309.22 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $305,675,336,817.70 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $303,605,272,377.37 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $279,882,718,191.11 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $274,015,582,866.56 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $283,395,547,716.24 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $296,187,697,685.67 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $295,350,790,831.62 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $283,071,001,729.16 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $324,298,066,751.40 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $374,453,192,698.35 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $375,365,084,906.81 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $380,576,801,367.92 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $382,839,367,272.79 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $376,127,943,723.37 | -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 |