According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,083.97% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $87,801,619,397.50 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 $8,100,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $95,901,619,397.50 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 $8,100,000,000 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 | $8,100,000,000.00 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $8,620,756,796.47 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $9,189,125,642.91 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $9,450,991,917.71 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $9,314,107,274.06 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $9,201,028,655.40 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $9,367,670,830.27 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $9,888,427,626.75 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $10,215,760,470.24 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $10,638,317,413.67 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $10,635,341,660.54 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $10,757,347,538.57 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $10,980,529,022.78 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $11,043,019,838.35 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $11,206,686,260.10 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $11,391,182,953.71 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $11,554,849,375.46 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $11,882,182,218.96 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $12,263,078,618.66 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $12,733,247,612.05 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $13,387,913,299.04 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $14,090,191,036.00 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $14,256,833,210.87 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $14,706,171,932.40 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $16,354,739,162.38 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $17,890,227,773.70 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $19,669,728,141.07 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $21,056,429,096.25 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $22,044,379,132.99 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $25,186,774,430.57 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $29,671,234,386.48 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $33,262,968,405.58 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $34,634,790,595.15 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $35,462,049,963.26 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $37,036,223,365.17 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $38,015,246,142.54 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $36,536,296,840.56 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $37,640,301,249.08 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $38,800,844,966.94 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $40,744,011,756.06 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $43,035,341,660.54 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $44,219,691,403.38 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $45,186,811,168.26 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $46,549,706,098.46 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $47,957,237,325.50 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $49,674,246,877.30 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $51,075,826,598.09 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $51,519,213,813.37 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $50,546,142,542.25 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $51,563,850,110.21 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $54,753,857,457.75 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $55,081,190,301.25 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $54,584,239,529.76 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $56,262,564,290.96 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $58,241,440,117.56 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $62,100,991,917.71 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $64,582,770,022.04 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $65,948,015,797.21 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $69,828,784,717.12 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $64,009,312,637.77 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $69,059,820,352.68 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $75,833,854,518.74 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $77,609,099,559.15 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $77,635,583,761.94 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $77,109,827,700.22 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $71,084,760,837.62 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $69,594,622,703.89 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $71,976,951,138.87 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $75,225,908,155.77 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $75,013,350,110.21 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $71,894,522,777.37 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $82,365,394,562.82 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $95,103,819,985.30 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $95,335,422,850.84 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $96,659,097,354.89 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $97,233,745,040.41 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $95,901,619,397.50 | -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 |