According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $938,685.24 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 $52,500 in the year 1940 would cost $991,185.24 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 $52,500 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 | $52,500.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $53,853.25 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $58,774.17 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $58,835.68 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $58,681.90 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $58,681.90 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $61,142.36 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $68,093.15 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $75,935.85 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $81,625.66 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $83,717.05 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $89,099.30 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $94,973.64 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $97,680.14 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $96,265.38 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $95,096.66 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $96,818.98 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $102,201.23 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $105,584.36 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $109,951.67 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $109,920.91 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $111,181.90 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $113,488.58 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $114,134.45 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $115,826.01 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $117,732.86 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $119,424.43 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $122,807.56 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $126,744.29 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $131,603.69 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $138,369.95 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $145,628.30 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $147,350.62 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $151,994.73 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $169,033.39 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $184,903.34 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $203,295.25 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $217,627.42 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $227,838.31 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $260,316.34 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $306,665.20 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $343,787.35 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $357,965.73 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $366,515.82 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $382,785.59 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $392,904.22 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $377,618.63 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $389,029.00 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $401,023.73 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $421,107.21 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $444,789.10 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $457,029.88 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $467,025.48 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $481,111.60 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $495,659.05 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $513,405.10 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $527,891.04 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $532,473.64 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $522,416.52 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $532,934.97 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $565,905.10 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $569,288.22 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $564,152.02 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $581,498.24 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $601,950.79 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $641,840.95 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $667,491.21 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $681,601.63 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $721,711.07 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $661,564.28 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $713,763.49 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $783,776.10 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $802,124.03 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $802,397.76 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $796,963.84 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $734,692.14 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $719,290.91 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $743,913.31 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $777,492.71 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $775,295.83 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $743,061.38 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $851,282.43 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $982,939.63 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $985,333.35 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $999,014.10 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,004,953.34 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $991,185.24 | -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 |