According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,545.56% higher in 2026 versus 1946 (a $7,727,816.90 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 $500,000 in the year 1946 would cost $8,227,816.90 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 $500,000 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 | $500,000.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $556,841.05 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $620,975.86 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $667,505.03 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $684,607.65 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $728,621.73 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $776,659.96 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $798,792.76 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $787,223.34 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $777,666.00 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $791,750.50 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $835,764.59 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $863,430.58 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $899,144.87 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $898,893.36 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $909,205.23 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $928,068.41 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $933,350.10 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $947,183.10 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $962,776.66 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $976,609.66 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $1,004,275.65 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $1,036,468.81 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $1,076,207.24 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $1,131,539.24 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $1,190,895.37 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,204,979.88 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $1,242,957.75 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $1,382,293.76 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,512,072.43 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,662,474.85 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $1,779,678.07 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $1,863,179.07 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $2,128,772.64 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $2,507,796.78 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $2,811,368.21 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $2,927,313.88 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $2,997,233.40 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $3,130,281.69 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $3,213,028.17 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $3,088,028.17 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $3,181,338.03 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $3,279,426.56 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $3,443,661.97 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $3,637,323.94 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $3,737,424.55 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $3,819,164.99 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $3,934,356.14 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $4,053,319.92 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $4,198,440.64 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $4,316,901.41 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $4,354,376.26 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $4,272,132.80 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $4,358,148.89 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $4,627,766.60 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $4,655,432.60 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $4,613,430.58 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $4,755,281.69 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $4,922,535.21 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $5,248,742.45 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $5,458,501.01 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $5,573,890.85 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $5,901,891.35 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $5,410,032.70 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $5,836,898.89 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $6,409,436.62 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $6,559,479.38 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $6,561,717.81 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $6,517,281.19 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $6,008,045.77 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $5,882,100.10 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $6,083,453.22 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $6,358,053.32 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $6,340,088.03 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $6,076,486.42 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $6,961,478.87 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $8,038,123.74 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $8,057,698.69 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $8,169,574.95 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $8,228,198.28 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $8,227,816.90 | 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 |