According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,079.37% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $29,143,058,045.55 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 $2,700,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $31,843,058,045.55 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 $2,700,000,000 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 | $2,700,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $2,873,585,598.82 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $3,063,041,880.97 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $3,150,330,639.24 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $3,104,702,424.69 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $3,067,009,551.80 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $3,122,556,943.42 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $3,296,142,542.25 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $3,405,253,490.08 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $3,546,105,804.56 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $3,545,113,886.85 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $3,585,782,512.86 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $3,660,176,340.93 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $3,681,006,612.78 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $3,735,562,086.70 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $3,797,060,984.57 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $3,851,616,458.49 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $3,960,727,406.32 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $4,087,692,872.89 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $4,244,415,870.68 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $4,462,637,766.35 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $4,696,730,345.33 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $4,752,277,736.96 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $4,902,057,310.80 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $5,451,579,720.79 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $5,963,409,257.90 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $6,556,576,047.02 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $7,018,809,698.75 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $7,348,126,377.66 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $8,395,591,476.86 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $9,890,411,462.16 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $11,087,656,135.19 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $11,544,930,198.38 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $11,820,683,321.09 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $12,345,407,788.39 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $12,671,748,714.18 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $12,178,765,613.52 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $12,546,767,083.03 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $12,933,614,988.98 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $13,581,337,252.02 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $14,345,113,886.85 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $14,739,897,134.46 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $15,062,270,389.42 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $15,516,568,699.49 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $15,985,745,775.17 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $16,558,082,292.43 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $17,025,275,532.70 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $17,173,071,271.12 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $16,848,714,180.75 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $17,187,950,036.74 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $18,251,285,819.25 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $18,360,396,767.08 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $18,194,746,509.92 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $18,754,188,096.99 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $19,413,813,372.52 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $20,700,330,639.24 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $21,527,590,007.35 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $21,982,671,932.40 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $23,276,261,572.37 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $21,336,437,545.92 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $23,019,940,117.56 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $25,277,951,506.25 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $25,869,699,853.05 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $25,878,527,920.65 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $25,703,275,900.07 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $23,694,920,279.21 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $23,198,207,567.96 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $23,992,317,046.29 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $25,075,302,718.59 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $25,004,450,036.74 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $23,964,840,925.79 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $27,455,131,520.94 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $31,701,273,328.43 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $31,778,474,283.61 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $32,219,699,118.30 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $32,411,248,346.80 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $31,843,058,045.55 | -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 |