According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,582.52% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $633,008,805,031.45 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 $40,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $673,008,805,031.45 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 $40,000,000,000 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 | $40,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $41,677,148,846.96 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $46,415,094,339.62 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $51,761,006,289.31 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $55,639,412,997.90 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $57,064,989,517.82 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $60,733,752,620.55 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $64,737,945,492.66 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $66,582,809,224.32 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $65,618,448,637.32 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $64,821,802,935.01 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $65,995,807,127.88 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $69,664,570,230.61 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $71,970,649,895.18 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $74,947,589,098.53 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $74,926,624,737.95 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $75,786,163,522.01 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $77,358,490,566.04 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $77,798,742,138.36 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $78,951,781,970.65 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $80,251,572,327.04 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $81,404,612,159.33 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $83,710,691,823.90 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $86,394,129,979.04 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $89,706,498,951.78 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $94,318,658,280.92 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $99,266,247,379.45 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $100,440,251,572.33 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $103,605,870,020.96 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $115,220,125,786.16 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $126,037,735,849.06 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $138,574,423,480.08 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $148,343,815,513.63 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $155,303,983,228.51 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $177,442,348,008.39 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $209,035,639,413.00 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $234,339,622,641.51 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $244,004,192,872.12 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $249,832,285,115.30 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $260,922,431,865.83 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $267,819,706,498.95 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $257,400,419,287.21 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $265,178,197,064.99 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $273,354,297,693.92 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $287,044,025,157.23 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $303,186,582,809.22 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $311,530,398,322.85 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $318,343,815,513.63 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $327,945,492,662.47 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $337,861,635,220.13 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $349,958,071,278.83 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $359,832,285,115.30 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $362,955,974,842.77 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $356,100,628,930.82 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $363,270,440,251.57 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $385,744,234,800.84 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $388,050,314,465.41 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $384,549,266,247.38 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $396,373,165,618.45 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $410,314,465,408.81 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $437,505,241,090.15 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $454,989,517,819.71 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $464,607,756,813.42 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $491,948,008,385.74 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $450,949,475,890.99 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $486,530,607,966.46 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $534,254,088,050.31 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $546,760,796,645.70 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $546,947,379,454.93 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $543,243,396,226.42 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $500,796,436,058.70 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $490,298,322,851.15 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $507,081,970,649.90 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $529,971,069,182.39 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $528,473,584,905.66 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $506,501,257,861.64 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $580,269,182,389.94 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $670,012,159,329.14 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $671,643,815,513.63 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $680,969,182,389.94 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $685,017,610,062.89 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $673,008,805,031.45 | -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 |