According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $349,597,987,421.38 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 $22,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $371,597,987,421.38 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 $22,000,000,000 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 | $22,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $22,922,431,865.83 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $25,528,301,886.79 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $28,468,553,459.12 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $30,601,677,148.85 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $31,385,744,234.80 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $33,403,563,941.30 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $35,605,870,020.96 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $36,620,545,073.38 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $36,090,146,750.52 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $35,651,991,614.26 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $36,297,693,920.34 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $38,315,513,626.83 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $39,583,857,442.35 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $41,221,174,004.19 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $41,209,643,605.87 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $41,682,389,937.11 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $42,547,169,811.32 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $42,789,308,176.10 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $43,423,480,083.86 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $44,138,364,779.87 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $44,772,536,687.63 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $46,040,880,503.14 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $47,516,771,488.47 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $49,338,574,423.48 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $51,875,262,054.51 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $54,596,436,058.70 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $55,242,138,364.78 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $56,983,228,511.53 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $63,371,069,182.39 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $69,320,754,716.98 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $76,215,932,914.05 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $81,589,098,532.49 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $85,417,190,775.68 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $97,593,291,404.61 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $114,969,601,677.15 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $128,886,792,452.83 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $134,202,306,079.66 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $137,407,756,813.42 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $143,507,337,526.21 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $147,300,838,574.42 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $141,570,230,607.97 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $145,848,008,385.74 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $150,344,863,731.66 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $157,874,213,836.48 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $166,752,620,545.07 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $171,341,719,077.57 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $175,089,098,532.49 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $180,370,020,964.36 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $185,823,899,371.07 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $192,476,939,203.35 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $197,907,756,813.42 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $199,625,786,163.52 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $195,855,345,911.95 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $199,798,742,138.36 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $212,159,329,140.46 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $213,427,672,955.97 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $211,502,096,436.06 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $218,005,241,090.15 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $225,672,955,974.84 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $240,627,882,599.58 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $250,244,234,800.84 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $255,534,266,247.38 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $270,571,404,612.16 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $248,022,211,740.04 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $267,591,834,381.55 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $293,839,748,427.67 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $300,718,438,155.14 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $300,821,058,700.21 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $298,783,867,924.53 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $275,438,039,832.29 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $269,664,077,568.13 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $278,895,083,857.44 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $291,484,088,050.31 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $290,660,471,698.11 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $278,575,691,823.90 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $319,148,050,314.47 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $368,506,687,631.03 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $369,404,098,532.49 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $374,533,050,314.47 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $376,759,685,534.59 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $371,597,987,421.38 | -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 |