According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $278,089,308,176.10 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 $17,500,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $295,589,308,176.10 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 $17,500,000,000 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 | $17,500,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $18,233,752,620.55 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $20,306,603,773.58 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $22,645,440,251.57 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $24,342,243,186.58 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $24,965,932,914.05 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $26,571,016,771.49 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $28,322,851,153.04 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $29,129,979,035.64 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $28,708,071,278.83 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $28,359,538,784.07 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $28,873,165,618.45 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $30,478,249,475.89 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $31,487,159,329.14 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $32,789,570,230.61 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $32,780,398,322.85 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $33,156,446,540.88 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $33,844,339,622.64 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $34,036,949,685.53 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $34,541,404,612.16 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $35,110,062,893.08 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $35,614,517,819.71 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $36,623,427,672.96 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $37,797,431,865.83 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $39,246,593,291.40 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $41,264,412,997.90 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $43,428,983,228.51 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $43,942,610,062.89 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $45,327,568,134.17 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $50,408,805,031.45 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $55,141,509,433.96 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $60,626,310,272.54 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $64,900,419,287.21 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $67,945,492,662.47 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $77,631,027,253.67 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $91,453,092,243.19 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $102,523,584,905.66 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $106,751,834,381.55 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $109,301,624,737.95 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $114,153,563,941.30 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $117,171,121,593.29 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $112,612,683,438.16 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $116,015,461,215.93 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $119,592,505,241.09 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $125,581,761,006.29 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $132,644,129,979.04 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $136,294,549,266.25 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $139,275,419,287.21 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $143,476,153,039.83 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $147,814,465,408.81 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $153,106,656,184.49 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $157,426,624,737.95 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $158,793,238,993.71 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $155,794,025,157.23 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $158,930,817,610.06 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $168,763,102,725.37 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $169,772,012,578.62 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $168,240,303,983.23 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $173,413,259,958.07 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $179,512,578,616.35 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $191,408,542,976.94 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $199,057,914,046.12 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $203,265,893,605.87 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $215,227,253,668.76 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $197,290,395,702.31 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $212,857,140,985.32 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $233,736,163,522.01 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $239,207,848,532.49 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $239,289,478,511.53 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $237,668,985,849.06 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $219,098,440,775.68 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $214,505,516,247.38 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $221,848,362,159.33 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $231,862,342,767.30 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $231,207,193,396.23 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $221,594,300,314.47 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $253,867,767,295.60 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $293,130,319,706.50 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $293,844,169,287.21 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $297,924,017,295.60 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $299,695,204,402.52 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $295,589,308,176.10 | -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 |