According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,614.56% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $274,475,157,232.70 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.57% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $17,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $291,475,157,232.70 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% 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 $17,000,000,000 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 | $17,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $17,712,788,259.96 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $19,726,415,094.34 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $21,998,427,672.96 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $23,646,750,524.11 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $24,252,620,545.07 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $25,811,844,863.73 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $27,513,626,834.38 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $28,297,693,920.34 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $27,887,840,670.86 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $27,549,266,247.38 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $28,048,218,029.35 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $29,607,442,348.01 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $30,587,526,205.45 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $31,852,725,366.88 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $31,843,815,513.63 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $32,209,119,496.86 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $32,877,358,490.57 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $33,064,465,408.81 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $33,554,507,337.53 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $34,106,918,238.99 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $34,596,960,167.71 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $35,577,044,025.16 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $36,717,505,241.09 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $38,125,262,054.51 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $40,085,429,769.39 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $42,188,155,136.27 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $42,687,106,918.24 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $44,032,494,758.91 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $48,968,553,459.12 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $53,566,037,735.85 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $58,894,129,979.04 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $63,046,121,593.29 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $66,004,192,872.12 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $75,412,997,903.56 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $88,840,146,750.52 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $99,594,339,622.64 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $103,701,781,970.65 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $106,178,721,174.00 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $110,892,033,542.98 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $113,823,375,262.05 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $109,395,178,197.06 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $112,700,733,752.62 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $116,175,576,519.92 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $121,993,710,691.82 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $128,854,297,693.92 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $132,400,419,287.21 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $135,296,121,593.29 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $139,376,834,381.55 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $143,591,194,968.55 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $148,732,180,293.50 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $152,928,721,174.00 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $154,256,289,308.18 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $151,342,767,295.60 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $154,389,937,106.92 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $163,941,299,790.36 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $164,921,383,647.80 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $163,433,438,155.14 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $168,458,595,387.84 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $174,383,647,798.74 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $185,939,727,463.31 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $193,370,545,073.38 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $197,458,296,645.70 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $209,077,903,563.94 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $191,653,527,253.67 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $206,775,508,385.74 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $227,057,987,421.38 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $232,373,338,574.42 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $232,452,636,268.34 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $230,878,443,396.23 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $212,838,485,324.95 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $208,376,787,211.74 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $215,509,837,526.21 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $225,237,704,402.52 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $224,601,273,584.91 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $215,263,034,591.19 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $246,614,402,515.72 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $284,755,167,714.88 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $285,448,621,593.29 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $289,411,902,515.72 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $291,488,667,810.18 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $291,475,157,232.70 | 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 |