According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,083.97% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $23,847,353,416.61 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 $2,200,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $26,047,353,416.61 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 $2,200,000,000 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 | $2,200,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $2,341,440,117.56 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $2,495,811,903.01 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $2,566,936,076.41 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $2,529,757,531.23 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $2,499,044,819.99 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $2,544,305,657.60 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $2,685,745,775.17 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $2,774,650,991.92 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $2,889,419,544.45 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $2,888,611,315.21 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $2,921,748,714.18 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $2,982,365,907.42 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $2,999,338,721.53 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $3,043,791,329.90 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $3,093,901,542.98 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $3,138,354,151.36 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $3,227,259,368.11 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $3,330,712,711.24 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $3,458,412,931.67 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $3,636,223,365.17 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $3,826,965,466.57 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $3,872,226,304.19 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $3,994,268,919.91 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $4,442,027,920.65 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $4,859,074,210.14 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $5,342,395,297.58 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $5,719,030,124.91 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $5,987,362,233.65 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $6,840,852,314.47 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $8,058,853,783.98 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $9,034,386,480.53 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $9,406,980,161.65 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $9,631,667,891.26 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $10,059,221,160.91 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $10,325,128,581.93 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $9,923,438,648.05 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $10,223,291,697.28 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $10,538,501,102.13 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $11,066,274,797.94 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $11,688,611,315.21 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $12,010,286,554.00 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $12,272,961,058.05 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $12,643,130,051.43 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $13,025,422,483.47 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $13,491,770,756.80 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $13,872,446,730.35 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $13,992,872,887.58 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $13,728,581,925.06 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $14,004,996,326.23 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $14,871,418,074.94 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $14,960,323,291.70 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $14,825,349,008.08 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $15,281,190,301.25 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $15,818,662,747.98 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $16,866,936,076.41 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $17,540,999,265.25 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $17,911,806,759.74 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $18,965,842,762.67 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $17,385,245,407.79 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $18,756,988,243.94 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $20,596,849,375.46 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $21,079,014,695.08 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $21,086,207,935.34 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $20,943,409,992.65 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $19,306,972,079.35 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $18,902,243,203.53 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $19,549,295,371.05 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $20,431,728,141.07 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $20,373,996,326.23 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $19,526,907,421.01 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $22,370,847,905.95 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $25,830,667,156.50 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $25,893,571,638.50 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $26,253,088,170.46 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $26,409,165,319.62 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $26,047,353,416.61 | -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 |