According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,545.56% higher in 2026 versus 1946 (a $247,290.14 difference in value).
Between 1946 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.56% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $16,000 in the year 1946 would cost $263,290.14 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% 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 $16,000 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 | $16,000.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $17,818.91 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $19,871.23 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $21,360.16 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $21,907.44 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $23,315.90 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $24,853.12 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $25,561.37 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $25,191.15 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $24,885.31 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $25,336.02 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $26,744.47 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $27,629.78 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $28,772.64 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $28,764.59 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $29,094.57 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $29,698.19 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $29,867.20 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $30,309.86 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $30,808.85 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $31,251.51 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $32,136.82 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $33,167.00 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $34,438.63 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $36,209.26 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $38,108.65 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $38,559.36 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $39,774.65 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $44,233.40 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $48,386.32 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $53,199.20 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $56,949.70 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $59,621.73 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $68,120.72 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $80,249.50 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $89,963.78 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $93,674.04 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $95,911.47 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $100,169.01 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $102,816.90 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $98,816.90 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $101,802.82 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $104,941.65 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $110,197.18 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $116,394.37 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $119,597.59 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $122,213.28 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $125,899.40 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $129,706.24 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $134,350.10 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $138,140.85 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $139,340.04 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $136,708.25 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $139,460.76 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $148,088.53 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $148,973.84 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $147,629.78 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $152,169.01 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $157,521.13 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $167,959.76 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $174,672.03 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $178,364.51 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $188,860.52 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $173,121.05 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $186,780.76 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $205,101.97 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $209,903.34 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $209,974.97 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $208,553.00 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $192,257.46 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $188,227.20 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $194,670.50 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $203,457.71 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $202,882.82 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $194,447.57 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $222,767.32 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $257,219.96 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $257,846.36 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $261,426.40 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $263,302.34 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $263,290.14 | 0.00%* |
* 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 | 272.628 | 272.615 |