According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $4,112,335,325.13 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 $230,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $4,342,335,325.13 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 $230,000,000 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 | $230,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $235,928,529.58 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $257,486,818.98 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $257,756,297.60 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $257,082,601.05 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $257,082,601.05 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $267,861,745.75 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $298,312,829.53 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $332,671,353.25 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $357,598,125.37 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $366,760,398.36 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $390,339,777.39 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $416,074,985.35 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $427,932,044.52 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $421,734,036.32 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $416,613,942.59 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $424,159,343.88 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $447,738,722.91 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $462,560,046.87 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $481,693,028.71 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $481,558,289.40 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $487,082,601.05 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $497,188,049.21 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $500,017,574.69 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $507,428,236.67 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $515,782,073.81 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $523,192,735.79 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $538,014,059.75 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $555,260,691.27 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $576,549,502.05 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $606,192,149.97 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $637,990,626.83 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $645,536,028.12 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $665,881,663.74 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $740,527,240.77 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $810,052,724.08 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $890,626,830.70 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $953,415,348.56 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $998,148,799.06 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $1,140,433,509.08 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $1,343,485,647.33 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $1,506,115,992.97 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $1,568,230,814.29 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $1,605,688,342.12 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $1,676,965,436.44 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $1,721,294,669.01 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $1,654,329,232.57 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $1,704,317,516.11 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $1,756,865,846.51 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $1,844,850,615.11 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $1,948,599,882.84 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $2,002,226,127.71 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $2,046,016,403.05 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $2,107,727,006.44 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $2,171,458,699.47 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $2,249,203,280.61 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $2,312,665,495.02 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $2,332,741,652.02 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $2,288,681,898.07 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $2,334,762,741.65 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $2,479,203,280.61 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $2,494,024,604.57 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $2,471,523,140.01 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $2,547,516,110.13 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $2,637,117,750.44 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $2,811,874,633.86 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $2,924,247,217.34 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $2,986,064,264.79 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $3,161,781,839.48 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $2,898,281,605.16 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $3,126,963,854.72 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $3,433,685,764.50 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $3,514,067,193.91 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $3,515,266,373.76 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $3,491,460,632.69 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $3,218,651,259.52 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $3,151,179,203.28 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $3,259,048,799.06 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $3,406,158,523.73 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $3,396,534,094.90 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $3,255,316,520.21 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $3,729,427,768.01 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $4,306,211,716.46 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $4,316,698,476.86 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $4,376,633,216.17 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $4,402,652,724.08 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $4,342,335,325.13 | -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 |