According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,083.97% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $238,473,534,166.05 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 $22,000,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $260,473,534,166.05 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 $22,000,000,000 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 | $22,000,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $23,414,401,175.61 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $24,958,119,030.12 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $25,669,360,764.14 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $25,297,575,312.27 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $24,990,448,199.85 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $25,443,056,576.05 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $26,857,457,751.65 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $27,746,509,919.18 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $28,894,195,444.53 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $28,886,113,152.09 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $29,217,487,141.81 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $29,823,659,074.21 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $29,993,387,215.28 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $30,437,913,299.04 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $30,939,015,429.83 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $31,383,541,513.59 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $32,272,593,681.12 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $33,307,127,112.42 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $34,584,129,316.68 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $36,362,233,651.73 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $38,269,654,665.69 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $38,722,263,041.88 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $39,942,689,199.12 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $44,420,279,206.47 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $48,590,742,101.40 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $53,423,952,975.75 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $57,190,301,249.08 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $59,873,622,336.52 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $68,408,523,144.75 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $80,588,537,839.82 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $90,343,864,805.29 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $94,069,801,616.46 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $96,316,678,912.56 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $100,592,211,609.11 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $103,251,285,819.25 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $99,234,386,480.53 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $102,232,916,972.81 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $105,385,011,021.31 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $110,662,747,979.43 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $116,886,113,152.09 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $120,102,865,540.04 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $122,729,610,580.46 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $126,431,300,514.33 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $130,254,224,834.68 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $134,917,707,567.96 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $138,724,467,303.45 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $139,928,728,875.83 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $137,285,819,250.55 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $140,049,963,262.31 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $148,714,180,749.45 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $149,603,232,916.97 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $148,253,490,080.82 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $152,811,903,012.49 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $158,186,627,479.79 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $168,669,360,764.14 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $175,409,992,652.46 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $179,118,067,597.35 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $189,658,427,626.75 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $173,852,454,077.88 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $187,569,882,439.38 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $205,968,493,754.59 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $210,790,146,950.77 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $210,862,079,353.42 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $209,434,099,926.52 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $193,069,720,793.53 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $189,022,432,035.27 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $195,492,953,710.51 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $204,317,281,410.73 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $203,739,963,262.31 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $195,269,074,210.14 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $223,708,479,059.52 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $258,306,671,565.03 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $258,935,716,385.01 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $262,530,881,704.63 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $264,091,653,196.18 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $260,473,534,166.05 | -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 |