According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,079.37% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $21,323,489,854.30 difference in value).
Between 1950 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 $1,975,545,000 in the year 1950 would cost $23,299,034,854.30 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 $1,975,545,000 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 | $1,975,545,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $2,102,554,689.57 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $2,241,176,693.61 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $2,305,044,423.22 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $2,271,659,019.10 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $2,244,079,772.23 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $2,284,722,872.89 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $2,411,732,562.45 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $2,491,567,224.47 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $2,594,626,515.43 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $2,593,900,745.78 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $2,623,657,301.62 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $2,678,090,025.72 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $2,693,331,188.46 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $2,733,248,519.47 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $2,778,246,238.06 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $2,818,163,569.07 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $2,897,998,231.08 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $2,990,896,746.88 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $3,105,568,352.31 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $3,265,237,676.34 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $3,436,519,314.84 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $3,477,162,415.50 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $3,586,753,633.36 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $3,988,830,022.04 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $4,363,327,163.85 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $4,797,337,417.34 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $5,135,546,076.41 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $5,376,501,601.76 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $6,142,914,357.09 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $7,236,649,226.67 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $8,112,653,199.85 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $8,447,233,010.65 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $8,648,996,974.65 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $9,032,929,121.97 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $9,271,707,338.35 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $8,910,999,819.99 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $9,180,260,361.87 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $9,463,310,527.19 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $9,937,238,111.68 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $10,496,080,745.78 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $10,784,937,068.33 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $11,020,812,206.10 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $11,353,214,707.94 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $11,696,503,754.59 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $12,115,272,845.33 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $12,457,110,352.68 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $12,565,250,031.23 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $12,327,923,354.15 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $12,576,136,576.05 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $13,354,161,645.85 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $13,433,996,307.86 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $13,312,792,775.53 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $13,722,126,860.76 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $14,204,763,681.12 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $15,146,086,923.22 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $15,751,378,815.21 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $16,084,354,675.07 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $17,030,852,654.81 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $15,611,515,745.06 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $16,843,306,518.35 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $18,495,455,817.93 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $18,928,428,220.81 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $18,934,887,570.74 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $18,806,658,588.15 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $17,337,178,252.96 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $16,973,741,840.69 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $17,554,778,510.82 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $18,347,181,077.48 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $18,295,339,351.05 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $17,534,674,691.39 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $20,088,462,148.35 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $23,195,293,339.86 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $23,251,779,992.08 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $23,574,616,849.87 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $23,714,770,227.88 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $23,299,034,854.30 | -1.75%* |
* 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 | 267.521 |