According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $260,609.41 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $16,400 in the year 1945 would cost $277,009.41 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.64% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 0%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1945-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $16,400 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | $16,400.00 | - |
| 1946 | $17,087.63 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $19,030.19 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $21,222.01 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $22,812.16 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $23,396.65 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $24,900.84 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $26,542.56 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $27,298.95 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $26,903.56 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $26,576.94 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $27,058.28 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $28,562.47 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $29,507.97 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $30,728.51 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $30,719.92 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $31,072.33 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $31,716.98 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $31,897.48 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $32,370.23 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $32,903.14 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $33,375.89 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $34,321.38 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $35,421.59 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $36,779.66 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $38,670.65 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $40,699.16 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $41,180.50 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $42,478.41 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $47,240.25 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $51,675.47 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $56,815.51 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $60,820.96 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $63,674.63 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $72,751.36 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $85,704.61 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $96,079.25 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $100,041.72 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $102,431.24 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $106,978.20 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $109,806.08 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $105,534.17 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $108,723.06 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $112,075.26 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $117,688.05 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $124,306.50 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $127,727.46 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $130,520.96 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $134,457.65 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $138,523.27 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $143,482.81 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $147,531.24 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $148,811.95 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $146,001.26 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $148,940.88 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $158,155.14 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $159,100.63 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $157,665.20 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $162,513.00 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $168,228.93 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $179,377.15 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $186,545.70 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $190,489.18 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $201,698.68 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $184,889.29 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $199,477.55 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $219,044.18 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $224,171.93 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $224,248.43 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $222,729.79 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $205,326.54 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $201,022.31 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $207,903.61 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $217,288.14 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $216,674.17 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $207,665.52 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $237,910.36 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $274,704.99 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $275,373.96 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $279,197.36 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $280,857.22 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $277,009.41 | -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 |