According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,114.31% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $3,342,917,859.83 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.30% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $300,000,000 in the year 1949 would cost $3,642,917,859.83 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.46% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 7.49%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $300,000,000 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $300,000,000.00 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $307,686,510.93 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $327,467,972.87 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $349,058,025.62 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $359,005,275.06 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $353,805,576.49 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $349,510,173.32 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $355,840,241.15 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $375,621,703.09 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $388,055,764.88 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $404,107,008.29 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $403,993,971.36 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $408,628,485.31 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $417,106,254.71 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $419,480,030.14 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $425,697,061.04 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $432,705,350.41 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $438,922,381.31 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $451,356,443.10 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $465,825,169.56 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $483,685,003.77 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $508,553,127.35 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $535,229,841.75 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $541,559,909.57 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $558,628,485.31 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $621,250,941.97 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $679,577,995.48 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $747,174,076.87 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $799,849,284.10 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $837,377,543.33 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $956,744,536.55 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $1,127,091,183.12 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $1,263,526,752.07 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $1,315,636,774.68 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $1,347,061,039.94 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $1,406,857,573.47 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $1,444,046,721.93 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $1,387,867,370.01 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $1,429,804,069.33 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $1,473,888,470.23 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $1,547,701,582.52 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $1,634,740,015.07 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,679,728,711.38 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,716,465,712.13 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,768,236,623.96 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,821,703,089.68 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,886,925,395.63 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $1,940,165,787.49 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $1,957,008,289.37 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,920,045,214.77 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $1,958,703,843.26 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $2,079,879,427.28 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $2,092,313,489.07 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $2,073,436,322.53 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $2,137,189,148.46 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $2,212,358,703.84 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $2,358,967,596.08 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $2,453,240,391.86 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $2,505,100,602.86 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $2,652,515,448.38 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $2,431,457,045.97 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $2,623,305,576.49 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $2,880,623,963.83 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $2,948,058,402.41 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $2,949,064,431.05 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $2,929,093,067.07 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $2,700,224,943.48 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $2,643,620,572.72 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $2,734,115,674.45 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $2,857,530,519.97 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $2,849,456,292.39 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $2,730,984,551.62 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $3,128,730,972.12 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $3,612,612,660.14 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $3,621,410,324.04 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $3,671,691,409.19 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $3,693,519,969.86 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $3,642,917,859.83 | -1.37%* |
* 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 | 268.564 |