According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,083.97% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $135,496,326,230.71 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.31% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $12,500,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $147,996,326,230.71 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% 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 $12,500,000,000 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 | $12,500,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $13,303,637,031.59 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $14,180,749,448.93 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $14,584,864,070.54 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $14,373,622,336.52 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $14,199,118,295.37 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $14,456,282,145.48 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $15,259,919,177.08 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $15,765,062,454.08 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $16,417,156,502.57 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $16,412,564,290.96 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $16,600,844,966.94 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $16,945,260,837.62 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $17,041,697,281.41 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $17,294,268,919.91 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $17,578,986,039.68 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $17,831,557,678.18 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $18,336,700,955.18 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $18,924,504,041.15 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $19,650,073,475.39 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $20,660,360,029.39 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $21,744,121,969.14 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $22,001,285,819.25 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $22,694,709,772.23 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $25,238,795,003.67 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $27,608,376,193.98 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $30,354,518,736.22 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $32,494,489,346.07 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $34,019,103,600.29 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $38,868,479,059.52 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $45,788,941,954.45 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $51,331,741,366.64 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $53,448,750,918.44 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $54,725,385,745.78 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $57,154,665,686.99 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $58,665,503,306.39 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $56,383,174,136.66 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $58,086,884,643.64 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $59,877,847,171.20 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $62,876,561,351.95 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $66,412,564,290.96 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $68,240,264,511.39 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $69,732,733,284.35 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $71,835,966,201.32 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $74,008,082,292.43 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $76,657,788,390.89 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $78,820,720,058.78 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $79,504,959,588.54 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $78,003,306,392.36 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $79,573,842,762.67 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $84,496,693,607.64 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $85,001,836,884.64 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $84,234,937,545.92 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $86,824,944,893.46 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $89,878,765,613.52 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $95,834,864,070.54 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $99,664,768,552.53 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $101,771,629,316.68 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $107,760,470,242.47 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $98,779,803,453.34 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $106,573,796,840.56 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $117,027,553,269.65 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $119,767,128,949.30 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $119,807,999,632.62 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $118,996,647,685.53 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $109,698,704,996.33 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $107,399,109,110.95 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $111,075,541,880.97 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $116,089,364,437.91 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $115,761,342,762.67 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $110,948,337,619.40 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $127,107,090,374.72 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $146,765,154,298.31 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $147,122,566,127.85 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $149,165,273,695.81 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $150,052,075,679.65 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $147,996,326,230.71 | -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 |