According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,224.98% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $159,247,630,619.68 difference in value).
Between 1948 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.37% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $13,000,000,000 in the year 1948 would cost $172,247,630,619.68 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.39% 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 $13,000,000,000 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 | $13,000,000,000.00 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $13,974,078,574.32 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $14,332,118,266.50 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $15,253,543,944.92 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $16,259,214,256.78 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $16,722,559,740.79 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $16,480,356,419.60 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $16,280,275,415.15 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $16,575,131,632.24 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $17,496,557,310.65 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $18,075,739,165.65 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $18,823,410,287.57 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $18,818,144,997.97 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $19,034,021,871.20 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $19,428,918,590.52 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $19,539,489,671.93 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $19,829,080,599.43 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $20,155,528,554.07 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $20,445,119,481.57 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $21,024,301,336.57 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $21,698,258,404.21 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $22,530,174,159.58 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $23,688,537,869.58 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $24,931,146,213.04 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $25,226,002,430.13 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $26,021,061,158.36 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $28,938,031,591.74 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $31,654,921,020.66 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $34,803,564,196.03 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $37,257,189,145.40 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $39,005,265,289.59 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $44,565,411,097.61 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $52,500,202,511.14 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $58,855,407,047.39 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $61,282,705,548.81 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $62,746,456,055.08 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $65,531,794,248.68 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $67,264,074,524.10 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $64,647,225,597.41 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $66,600,648,035.64 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $68,654,110,976.10 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $72,092,345,078.98 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $76,146,618,063.99 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $78,242,203,321.18 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $79,953,422,438.23 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $82,364,925,070.88 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $84,855,407,047.39 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $87,893,479,141.35 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $90,373,430,538.68 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $91,157,958,687.73 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $89,436,208,991.49 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $91,236,938,031.59 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $96,881,328,473.07 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $97,460,510,328.07 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $96,581,206,966.38 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $99,550,830,295.67 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $103,052,247,873.63 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $109,881,328,473.07 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $114,272,579,991.90 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $116,688,242,203.32 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $123,554,864,317.54 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $113,257,906,034.83 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $122,194,260,834.35 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $134,180,218,712.03 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $137,321,332,523.29 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $137,368,193,600.65 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $136,437,922,235.72 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $125,777,185,095.18 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $123,140,538,679.63 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $127,355,824,220.33 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $133,104,520,048.60 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $132,728,420,413.12 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $127,209,975,698.66 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $145,737,108,140.95 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $168,276,443,904.41 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $168,686,241,393.28 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $171,028,347,509.11 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $172,255,614,713.35 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $172,247,630,619.68 | 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 |