According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,200.22% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $144,026,828,675.58 difference in value).
Between 1948 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.34% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $12,000,000,000 in the year 1948 would cost $156,026,828,675.58 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.40% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1948: Pricing changed by 11.52%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1948-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1948 (7.69%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $12,000,000,000 beginning in 1948. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | $12,000,000,000.00 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $12,899,149,453.22 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $13,229,647,630.62 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $14,080,194,410.69 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $15,008,505,467.80 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $15,436,208,991.49 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $15,212,636,695.02 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $15,027,946,537.06 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $15,300,121,506.68 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $16,150,668,286.76 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $16,685,297,691.37 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $17,375,455,650.06 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $17,370,595,382.75 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $17,569,866,342.65 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $17,934,386,391.25 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $18,036,452,004.86 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $18,303,766,707.17 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $18,605,103,280.68 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $18,872,417,982.99 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $19,407,047,387.61 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $20,029,161,603.89 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $20,797,083,839.61 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $21,866,342,648.85 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $23,013,365,735.12 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $23,285,540,704.74 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $24,019,441,069.26 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $26,712,029,161.60 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $29,219,927,095.99 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $32,126,366,950.18 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $34,391,251,518.83 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $36,004,860,267.31 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $41,137,302,551.64 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $48,461,725,394.90 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $54,328,068,043.74 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $56,568,651,275.82 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $57,919,805,589.31 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $60,490,886,998.78 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $62,089,914,945.32 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $59,674,362,089.91 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $61,477,521,263.67 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $63,373,025,516.40 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $66,546,780,072.90 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $70,289,185,905.22 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $72,223,572,296.48 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $73,803,159,173.75 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $76,029,161,603.89 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $78,328,068,043.74 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $81,132,442,284.33 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $83,421,628,189.55 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $84,145,808,019.44 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $82,556,500,607.53 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $84,218,712,029.16 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $89,428,918,590.52 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $89,963,547,995.14 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $89,151,883,353.58 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $91,893,074,119.08 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $95,125,151,883.35 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $101,428,918,590.52 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $105,482,381,530.98 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $107,712,223,572.30 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $114,050,643,985.42 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $104,545,759,416.77 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $112,794,702,308.63 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $123,858,663,426.49 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $126,758,153,098.42 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $126,801,409,477.52 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $125,942,697,448.36 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $116,102,017,010.94 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $113,668,189,550.43 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $117,559,222,357.23 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $122,865,710,814.09 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $122,518,541,919.81 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $117,424,592,952.61 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $134,526,561,360.87 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $155,332,102,065.61 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $155,710,376,670.72 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $157,872,320,777.64 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $158,810,886,998.78 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $156,026,828,675.58 | -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 |