According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,611.87% higher in 2026 versus 1942 (a $693,103.30 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.44% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $43,000 in the year 1942 would cost $736,103.30 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 9.14%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1942-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $43,000 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $43,000.00 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $43,045.00 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $42,932.50 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $42,932.50 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $44,732.60 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $49,817.90 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $55,555.73 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $59,718.47 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $61,248.56 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $65,186.29 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $69,484.04 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $71,464.15 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $70,429.09 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $69,574.05 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $70,834.12 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $74,771.85 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $77,246.99 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $80,442.18 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $80,419.68 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $81,342.23 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $83,029.83 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $83,502.35 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $84,739.93 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $86,135.01 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $87,372.58 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $89,847.72 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $92,727.89 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $96,283.10 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $101,233.39 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $106,543.69 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $107,803.77 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $111,201.47 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $123,667.19 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $135,277.86 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $148,733.65 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $159,219.26 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $166,689.69 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $190,451.07 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $224,360.54 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $251,519.62 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $261,892.73 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $268,148.09 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $280,051.28 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $287,454.21 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $276,271.06 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $284,619.05 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $293,394.56 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $308,087.91 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $325,413.92 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $334,369.44 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $341,682.37 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $351,987.96 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $362,631.08 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $375,614.34 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $386,212.45 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $389,565.15 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $382,207.22 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $389,902.67 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $414,024.07 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $416,499.22 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $412,741.50 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $425,432.23 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $440,395.60 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $469,579.80 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $488,345.89 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $498,669.27 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $528,013.90 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $484,009.67 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $522,199.34 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $573,421.54 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $586,845.14 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $587,045.41 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $583,069.87 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $537,511.03 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $526,243.27 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $544,257.37 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $568,824.52 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $567,217.25 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $543,634.08 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $622,810.11 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $719,132.36 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $720,883.64 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $730,892.67 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $736,137.42 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $736,103.30 | 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 |