According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,079.37% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $410,161,557,678.18 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 $38,000,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $448,161,557,678.18 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 $38,000,000,000 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 | $38,000,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $40,443,056,576.05 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $43,109,478,324.76 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $44,337,986,774.43 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $43,695,811,903.01 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $43,165,319,617.93 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $43,947,097,722.26 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $46,390,154,298.31 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $47,925,789,860.40 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $49,908,155,767.82 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $49,894,195,444.53 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $50,466,568,699.49 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $51,513,592,946.36 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $51,806,759,735.49 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $52,574,577,516.53 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $53,440,117,560.62 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $54,207,935,341.66 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $55,743,570,903.75 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $57,530,492,285.08 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $59,736,223,365.17 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $62,807,494,489.35 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $66,102,130,786.19 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $66,883,908,890.52 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $68,991,917,707.57 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $76,725,936,811.17 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $83,929,463,629.68 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $92,277,736,958.12 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $98,783,247,612.05 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $103,418,074,944.89 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $118,160,176,340.93 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $139,198,383,541.51 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $156,048,493,754.59 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $162,484,202,792.06 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $166,365,172,667.16 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $173,750,183,688.46 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $178,343,130,051.43 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $171,404,849,375.46 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $176,584,129,316.68 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $182,028,655,400.44 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $191,144,746,509.92 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $201,894,195,444.53 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $207,450,404,114.62 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $211,987,509,184.42 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $218,381,337,252.02 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $224,984,570,168.99 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $233,039,676,708.30 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $239,614,988,978.69 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $241,695,077,149.16 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $237,130,051,432.77 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $241,904,481,998.53 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $256,869,948,567.23 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $258,405,584,129.32 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $256,074,210,139.60 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $263,947,832,476.12 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $273,231,447,465.10 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $291,337,986,774.43 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $302,980,896,399.71 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $309,385,753,122.70 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $327,591,829,537.11 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $300,290,602,498.16 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $323,984,342,395.30 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $355,763,761,939.75 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $364,092,072,005.88 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $364,216,318,883.17 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $361,749,808,964.00 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $333,484,063,188.83 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $326,493,291,697.28 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $337,669,647,318.15 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $352,911,667,891.26 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $351,914,481,998.53 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $337,282,946,362.97 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $386,405,554,739.16 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $446,166,069,066.86 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $447,252,601,028.66 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $453,462,432,035.27 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $456,158,310,066.13 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $448,161,557,678.18 | -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 |