According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $1,113,906,481,546.57 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 $62,300,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $1,176,206,481,546.57 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 $62,300,000,000 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 | $62,300,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $63,905,858,230.81 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $69,745,342,706.50 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $69,818,336,262.45 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $69,635,852,372.58 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $69,635,852,372.58 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $72,555,594,610.43 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $80,803,866,432.34 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $90,110,544,815.47 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $96,862,448,740.48 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $99,344,229,642.65 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $105,731,165,787.93 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $112,702,050,380.79 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $115,913,766,842.41 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $114,234,915,055.65 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $112,848,037,492.68 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $114,891,857,059.17 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $121,278,793,204.45 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $125,293,438,781.49 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $130,475,981,253.66 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $130,439,484,475.69 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $131,935,852,372.58 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $134,673,110,720.56 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $135,439,543,058.00 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $137,446,865,846.51 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $139,709,666,080.84 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $141,716,988,869.36 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $145,731,634,446.40 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $150,403,222,026.95 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $156,169,712,946.69 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $164,199,004,100.76 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $172,812,243,702.40 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $174,856,063,268.89 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $180,367,076,742.82 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $200,586,291,739.89 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $219,418,629,173.99 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $241,243,702,401.87 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $258,251,200,937.32 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $270,368,131,224.37 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $308,908,728,763.91 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $363,909,373,169.30 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $407,960,984,182.78 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $424,785,998,828.35 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $434,932,103,104.86 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $454,238,898,652.61 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $466,246,338,605.74 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $448,107,439,953.13 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $461,647,744,581.14 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $475,881,487,990.63 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $499,713,884,007.03 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $527,816,403,046.28 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $542,342,120,679.55 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $554,203,573,520.80 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $570,919,097,832.45 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $588,182,073,813.71 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $609,240,714,704.16 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $626,430,697,129.47 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $631,868,717,047.45 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $619,934,270,650.26 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $632,416,168,717.05 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $671,540,714,704.16 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $675,555,360,281.20 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $669,460,398,359.70 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $690,044,581,136.50 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $714,314,938,488.58 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $761,651,259,519.63 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $792,089,572,349.15 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $808,833,929,115.41 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $856,430,472,173.40 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $785,056,278,265.96 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $846,999,339,777.39 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $930,080,970,123.02 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $951,853,852,958.41 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $952,178,674,282.37 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $945,730,423,550.09 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $871,834,667,252.49 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $853,558,540,714.70 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $882,777,131,224.37 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $922,624,678,383.13 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $920,017,713,532.51 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $881,766,170,474.52 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,010,188,478,031.63 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,166,421,695,372.00 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,169,262,239,601.64 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,185,496,736,379.61 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,192,544,629,173.99 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $1,176,206,481,546.57 | -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 |