According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,521.11% higher in 2026 versus 1946 (a $1,521,110,663,983.90 difference in value).
Between 1946 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.54% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $100,000,000,000 in the year 1946 would cost $1,621,110,663,983.90 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1946: Pricing changed by 4.19%, which is above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1946-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1946 (8.48%), inflation for transportation was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $100,000,000,000 beginning in 1946. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | $100,000,000,000.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $111,368,209,255.53 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $124,195,171,026.16 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $133,501,006,036.22 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $136,921,529,175.05 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $145,724,346,076.46 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $155,331,991,951.71 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $159,758,551,307.85 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $157,444,668,008.05 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $155,533,199,195.17 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $158,350,100,603.62 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $167,152,917,505.03 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $172,686,116,700.20 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $179,828,973,843.06 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $179,778,672,032.19 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $181,841,046,277.67 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $185,613,682,092.56 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $186,670,020,120.72 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $189,436,619,718.31 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $192,555,331,991.95 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $195,321,931,589.54 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $200,855,130,784.71 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $207,293,762,575.45 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $215,241,448,692.15 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $226,307,847,082.49 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $238,179,074,446.68 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $240,995,975,855.13 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $248,591,549,295.77 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $276,458,752,515.09 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $302,414,486,921.53 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $332,494,969,818.91 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $355,935,613,682.09 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $372,635,814,889.34 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $425,754,527,162.98 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $501,559,356,136.82 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $562,273,641,851.11 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $585,462,776,659.96 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $599,446,680,080.48 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $626,056,338,028.17 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $642,605,633,802.82 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $617,605,633,802.82 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $636,267,605,633.80 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $655,885,311,871.23 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $688,732,394,366.20 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $727,464,788,732.39 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $747,484,909,456.74 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $763,832,997,987.93 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $786,871,227,364.19 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $810,663,983,903.42 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $839,688,128,772.64 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $863,380,281,690.14 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $870,875,251,509.05 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $854,426,559,356.14 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $871,629,778,672.03 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $925,553,319,919.52 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $931,086,519,114.69 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $922,686,116,700.20 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $951,056,338,028.17 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $984,507,042,253.52 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $1,049,748,490,945.67 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,091,700,201,207.24 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,114,778,169,014.08 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,180,378,269,617.71 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,082,006,539,235.41 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,167,379,778,672.03 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,281,887,323,943.66 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,311,895,875,251.51 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,312,343,561,368.21 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,303,456,237,424.55 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,201,609,154,929.58 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,176,420,020,120.72 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,216,690,643,863.18 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,271,610,663,983.90 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,268,017,605,633.80 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,215,297,283,702.21 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,392,295,774,647.89 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,607,624,748,490.95 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,611,539,738,430.58 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,633,914,989,939.64 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,643,628,772,635.82 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $1,621,110,663,983.90 | -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 |