According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $301,925,534,591.19 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 $19,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $320,925,534,591.19 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 $19,000,000,000 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 | $19,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $19,796,645,702.31 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $22,047,169,811.32 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $24,586,477,987.42 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $26,428,721,174.00 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $27,105,870,020.96 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $28,848,532,494.76 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $30,750,524,109.01 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $31,626,834,381.55 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $31,168,763,102.73 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $30,790,356,394.13 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $31,348,008,385.74 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $33,090,670,859.54 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $34,186,058,700.21 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $35,600,104,821.80 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $35,590,146,750.52 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $35,998,427,672.96 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $36,745,283,018.87 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $36,954,402,515.72 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $37,502,096,436.06 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $38,119,496,855.35 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $38,667,190,775.68 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $39,762,578,616.35 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $41,037,211,740.04 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $42,610,587,002.10 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $44,801,362,683.44 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $47,151,467,505.24 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $47,709,119,496.86 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $49,212,788,259.96 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $54,729,559,748.43 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $59,867,924,528.30 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $65,822,851,153.04 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $70,463,312,368.97 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $73,769,392,033.54 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $84,285,115,303.98 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $99,291,928,721.17 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $111,311,320,754.72 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $115,901,991,614.26 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $118,670,335,429.77 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $123,938,155,136.27 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $127,214,360,587.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $122,265,199,161.43 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $125,959,643,605.87 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $129,843,291,404.61 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $136,345,911,949.69 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $144,013,626,834.38 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $147,976,939,203.35 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $151,213,312,368.97 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $155,774,109,014.68 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $160,484,276,729.56 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $166,230,083,857.44 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $170,920,335,429.77 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $172,404,088,050.31 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $169,147,798,742.14 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $172,553,459,119.50 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $183,228,511,530.40 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $184,323,899,371.07 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $182,660,901,467.51 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $188,277,253,668.76 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $194,899,371,069.18 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $207,814,989,517.82 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $216,120,020,964.36 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $220,688,684,486.37 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $233,675,303,983.23 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $214,201,001,048.22 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $231,102,038,784.07 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $253,770,691,823.90 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $259,711,378,406.71 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $259,800,005,241.09 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $258,040,613,207.55 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $237,878,307,127.88 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $232,891,703,354.30 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $240,863,936,058.70 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $251,736,257,861.64 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $251,024,952,830.19 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $240,588,097,484.28 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $275,627,861,635.22 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $318,255,775,681.34 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $319,030,812,368.97 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $323,460,361,635.22 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $325,383,364,779.87 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $320,925,534,591.19 | -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 |