According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,816.45% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $136,233,743,409.49 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $7,500,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $143,733,743,409.49 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 $7,500,000,000 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 | $7,500,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $7,693,321,616.87 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $8,396,309,314.59 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $8,405,096,660.81 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $8,383,128,295.25 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $8,383,128,295.25 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $8,734,622,144.11 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $9,727,592,267.14 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $10,847,978,910.37 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $11,660,808,435.85 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $11,959,578,207.38 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $12,728,471,001.76 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $13,567,662,565.91 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $13,954,305,799.65 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $13,752,196,836.56 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $13,585,237,258.35 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $13,831,282,952.55 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $14,600,175,746.92 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $15,083,479,789.10 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $15,707,381,370.83 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $15,702,987,697.72 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $15,883,128,295.25 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $16,212,653,778.56 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $16,304,920,913.88 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $16,546,572,934.97 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $16,818,980,667.84 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $17,060,632,688.93 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $17,543,936,731.11 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $18,106,326,889.28 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $18,800,527,240.77 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $19,767,135,325.13 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $20,804,042,179.26 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $21,050,087,873.46 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $21,713,532,513.18 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $24,147,627,416.52 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $26,414,762,741.65 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $29,042,179,261.86 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $31,089,630,931.46 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $32,548,330,404.22 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $37,188,049,209.14 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $43,809,314,586.99 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $49,112,478,031.63 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $51,137,961,335.68 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $52,359,402,460.46 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $54,683,655,536.03 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $56,129,173,989.46 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $53,945,518,453.43 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $55,575,571,177.50 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $57,289,103,690.69 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $60,158,172,231.99 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $63,541,300,527.24 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $65,289,982,425.31 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $66,717,926,186.29 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $68,730,228,471.00 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $70,808,435,852.37 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $73,343,585,237.26 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $75,413,005,272.41 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $76,067,662,565.91 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $74,630,931,458.70 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $76,133,567,662.57 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $80,843,585,237.26 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $81,326,889,279.44 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $80,593,145,869.95 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $83,071,177,504.39 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $85,992,970,123.02 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $91,691,564,147.63 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $95,355,887,521.97 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $97,371,660,808.44 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $103,101,581,722.32 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $94,509,182,776.80 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $101,966,212,653.78 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $111,968,014,059.75 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $114,589,147,627.42 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $114,628,251,318.10 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $113,851,977,152.90 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $104,956,019,332.16 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $102,755,843,585.24 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $106,273,330,404.22 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $111,070,386,643.23 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $110,756,546,572.93 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $106,151,625,659.05 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $121,611,775,043.94 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $140,419,947,275.92 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $140,761,906,854.13 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $142,716,300,527.24 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $143,740,405,815.63 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $143,733,743,409.49 | 0.00%* |
* 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 | 272.628 | 272.615 |