According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,224.98% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $7,227,392.47 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 $590,000 in the year 1948 would cost $7,817,392.47 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 $590,000 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 | $590,000.00 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $634,208.18 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $650,457.68 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $692,276.23 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $737,918.19 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $758,946.94 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $747,954.64 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $738,874.04 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $752,255.97 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $794,074.52 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $820,360.47 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $854,293.24 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $854,054.27 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $863,851.76 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $881,774.00 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $886,792.22 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $899,935.20 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $914,750.91 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $927,893.88 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $954,179.83 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $984,767.11 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $1,022,523.29 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $1,075,095.18 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $1,131,490.48 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,144,872.42 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $1,180,955.85 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $1,313,341.43 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,436,646.42 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,579,546.38 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $1,690,903.20 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $1,770,238.96 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $2,022,584.04 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $2,382,701.50 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $2,671,130.01 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $2,781,292.02 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $2,847,723.77 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $2,974,135.28 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $3,052,754.15 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $2,933,989.47 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $3,022,644.80 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $3,115,840.42 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $3,271,883.35 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $3,455,884.97 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $3,550,992.30 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $3,628,655.33 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $3,738,100.45 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $3,851,130.01 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $3,989,011.75 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $4,101,563.39 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $4,137,168.89 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $4,059,027.95 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $4,140,753.34 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $4,396,921.83 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $4,423,207.78 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $4,383,300.93 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $4,518,076.14 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $4,676,986.63 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $4,986,921.83 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $5,186,217.09 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $5,295,850.99 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $5,607,490.00 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $5,140,166.50 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $5,545,739.53 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $6,089,717.62 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $6,232,275.86 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $6,234,402.63 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $6,192,182.62 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $5,708,349.17 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $5,588,685.99 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $5,779,995.10 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $6,040,897.45 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $6,023,828.31 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $5,773,375.82 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $6,614,222.60 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $7,637,161.68 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $7,655,760.19 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $7,762,055.77 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $7,817,754.82 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $7,817,392.47 | 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 |