According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,582.52% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $538,057,484,276.73 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 $34,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $572,057,484,276.73 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 $34,000,000,000 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 | $34,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $35,425,576,519.92 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $39,452,830,188.68 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $43,996,855,345.91 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $47,293,501,048.22 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $48,505,241,090.15 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $51,623,689,727.46 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $55,027,253,668.76 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $56,595,387,840.67 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $55,775,681,341.72 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $55,098,532,494.76 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $56,096,436,058.70 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $59,214,884,696.02 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $61,175,052,410.90 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $63,705,450,733.75 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $63,687,631,027.25 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $64,418,238,993.71 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $65,754,716,981.13 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $66,128,930,817.61 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $67,109,014,675.05 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $68,213,836,477.99 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $69,193,920,335.43 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $71,154,088,050.31 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $73,435,010,482.18 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $76,250,524,109.01 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $80,170,859,538.78 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $84,376,310,272.54 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $85,374,213,836.48 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $88,064,989,517.82 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $97,937,106,918.24 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $107,132,075,471.70 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $117,788,259,958.07 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $126,092,243,186.58 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $132,008,385,744.23 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $150,825,995,807.13 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $177,680,293,501.05 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $199,188,679,245.28 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $207,403,563,941.30 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $212,357,442,348.01 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $221,784,067,085.95 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $227,646,750,524.11 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $218,790,356,394.13 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $225,401,467,505.24 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $232,351,153,039.83 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $243,987,421,383.65 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $257,708,595,387.84 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $264,800,838,574.42 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $270,592,243,186.58 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $278,753,668,763.10 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $287,182,389,937.11 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $297,464,360,587.00 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $305,857,442,348.01 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $308,512,578,616.35 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $302,685,534,591.19 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $308,779,874,213.84 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $327,882,599,580.71 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $329,842,767,295.60 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $326,866,876,310.27 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $336,917,190,775.68 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $348,767,295,597.48 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $371,879,454,926.62 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $386,741,090,146.75 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $394,916,593,291.40 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $418,155,807,127.88 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $383,307,054,507.34 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $413,551,016,771.49 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $454,115,974,842.77 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $464,746,677,148.85 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $464,905,272,536.69 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $461,756,886,792.45 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $425,676,970,649.90 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $416,753,574,423.48 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $431,019,675,052.41 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $450,475,408,805.03 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $449,202,547,169.81 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $430,526,069,182.39 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $493,228,805,031.45 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $569,510,335,429.77 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $570,897,243,186.58 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $578,823,805,031.45 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $582,264,968,553.46 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $572,057,484,276.73 | -1.75%* |
* 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 | 267.521 |