According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $524,396,981,132.08 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 $33,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $557,396,981,132.08 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 $33,000,000,000 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 | $33,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $34,383,647,798.74 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $38,292,452,830.19 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $42,702,830,188.68 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $45,902,515,723.27 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $47,078,616,352.20 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $50,105,345,911.95 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $53,408,805,031.45 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $54,930,817,610.06 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $54,135,220,125.79 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $53,477,987,421.38 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $54,446,540,880.50 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $57,473,270,440.25 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $59,375,786,163.52 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $61,831,761,006.29 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $61,814,465,408.81 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $62,523,584,905.66 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $63,820,754,716.98 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $64,183,962,264.15 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $65,135,220,125.79 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $66,207,547,169.81 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $67,158,805,031.45 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $69,061,320,754.72 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $71,275,157,232.70 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $74,007,861,635.22 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $77,812,893,081.76 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $81,894,654,088.05 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $82,863,207,547.17 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $85,474,842,767.30 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $95,056,603,773.58 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $103,981,132,075.47 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $114,323,899,371.07 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $122,383,647,798.74 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $128,125,786,163.52 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $146,389,937,106.92 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $172,454,402,515.72 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $193,330,188,679.25 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $201,303,459,119.50 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $206,111,635,220.13 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $215,261,006,289.31 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $220,951,257,861.64 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $212,355,345,911.95 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $218,772,012,578.62 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $225,517,295,597.48 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $236,811,320,754.72 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $250,128,930,817.61 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $257,012,578,616.35 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $262,633,647,798.74 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $270,555,031,446.54 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $278,735,849,056.60 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $288,715,408,805.03 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $296,861,635,220.13 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $299,438,679,245.28 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $293,783,018,867.92 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $299,698,113,207.55 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $318,238,993,710.69 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $320,141,509,433.96 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $317,253,144,654.09 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $327,007,861,635.22 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $338,509,433,962.26 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $360,941,823,899.37 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $375,366,352,201.26 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $383,301,399,371.07 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $405,857,106,918.24 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $372,033,317,610.06 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $401,387,751,572.33 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $440,759,622,641.51 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $451,077,657,232.70 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $451,231,588,050.31 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $448,175,801,886.79 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $413,157,059,748.43 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $404,496,116,352.20 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $418,342,625,786.16 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $437,226,132,075.47 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $435,990,707,547.17 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $417,863,537,735.85 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $478,722,075,471.70 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $552,760,031,446.54 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $554,106,147,798.74 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $561,799,575,471.70 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $565,139,528,301.89 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $557,396,981,132.08 | -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 |