According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,101.83% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $11,128,478,324.76 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.33% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $1,010,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $12,138,478,324.76 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.48% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 2.56%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1950-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.09%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $1,010,000,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $1,010,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $1,074,933,872.15 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $1,145,804,555.47 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $1,178,457,016.90 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $1,161,388,684.79 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $1,147,288,758.27 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $1,168,067,597.35 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $1,233,001,469.51 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $1,273,817,046.29 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $1,326,506,245.41 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $1,326,135,194.71 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $1,341,348,273.33 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $1,369,177,075.68 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $1,376,969,140.34 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $1,397,376,928.73 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $1,420,382,072.01 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $1,440,789,860.40 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $1,481,605,437.18 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $1,529,099,926.52 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $1,587,725,936.81 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $1,669,357,090.37 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $1,756,925,055.11 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,777,703,894.20 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $1,833,732,549.60 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $2,039,294,636.30 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $2,230,756,796.47 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $2,452,645,113.89 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $2,625,554,739.16 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $2,748,743,570.90 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $3,140,573,108.01 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $3,699,746,509.92 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $4,147,604,702.42 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $4,318,659,074.21 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $4,421,811,168.26 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $4,618,096,987.51 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $4,740,172,667.16 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $4,555,760,470.24 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $4,693,420,279.21 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $4,838,130,051.43 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $5,080,426,157.24 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $5,366,135,194.71 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $5,513,813,372.52 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $5,634,404,849.38 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $5,804,346,069.07 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $5,979,853,049.23 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $6,193,949,301.98 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $6,368,714,180.75 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $6,424,000,734.75 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $6,302,667,156.50 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $6,429,566,495.22 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $6,827,332,843.50 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $6,868,148,420.28 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $6,806,182,953.71 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $7,015,455,547.39 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $7,262,204,261.57 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $7,743,457,016.90 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $8,052,913,299.04 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $8,223,147,648.79 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $8,707,045,995.59 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $7,981,408,119.03 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $8,611,162,784.72 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $9,455,826,304.19 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $9,677,184,019.10 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $9,680,486,370.32 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $9,614,929,132.99 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $8,863,655,363.70 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $8,677,848,016.16 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $8,974,903,783.98 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $9,380,020,646.58 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $9,353,516,495.22 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $8,964,625,679.65 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $10,270,252,902.28 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $11,858,624,467.30 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $11,887,503,343.13 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $12,052,554,114.62 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $12,139,040,972.55 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $12,138,478,324.76 | 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 |