According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,224.98% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $3,552,447.14 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 $290,000 in the year 1948 would cost $3,842,447.14 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 $290,000 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 | $290,000.00 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $311,729.45 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $319,716.48 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $340,271.36 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $362,705.55 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $373,041.72 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $367,638.72 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $363,175.37 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $369,752.94 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $390,307.82 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $403,228.03 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $419,906.84 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $419,789.39 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $424,605.10 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $433,414.34 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $435,880.92 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $442,341.03 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $449,623.33 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $456,083.43 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $469,003.65 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $484,038.07 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $502,596.19 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $528,436.61 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $556,156.34 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $562,733.90 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $580,469.83 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $645,540.70 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $706,148.24 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $776,387.20 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $831,121.91 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $870,117.46 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $994,151.48 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $1,171,158.36 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $1,312,928.31 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $1,367,075.74 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $1,399,728.64 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $1,461,863.10 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $1,500,506.28 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $1,442,130.42 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $1,485,706.76 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $1,531,514.78 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $1,608,213.85 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $1,698,655.33 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,745,403.00 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,783,576.35 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,837,371.41 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,892,928.31 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,960,700.69 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $2,016,022.68 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $2,033,523.69 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,995,115.43 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $2,035,285.54 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $2,161,198.87 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $2,174,119.08 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $2,154,503.85 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $2,220,749.29 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $2,298,857.84 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $2,451,198.87 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $2,549,157.55 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $2,603,045.40 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $2,756,223.90 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $2,526,522.52 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $2,725,871.97 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $2,993,251.03 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $3,063,322.03 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $3,064,367.40 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $3,043,615.19 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $2,805,798.74 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $2,746,981.25 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $2,841,014.54 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $2,969,254.68 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $2,960,864.76 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $2,837,761.00 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $3,251,058.57 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $3,753,859.13 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $3,763,000.77 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $3,815,247.75 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $3,842,625.25 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $3,842,447.14 | 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 |