According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 616.33% higher in 2026 versus 1970 (a $18,169,404,009,779.95 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.58% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $2,948,000,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $21,117,404,009,779.95 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.87% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 5.14%, which is above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1970-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.84%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $2,948,000,000,000 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $2,948,000,000,000.00 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $3,102,640,586,797.07 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $3,139,334,963,325.18 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $3,238,278,728,606.36 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $3,601,290,953,545.23 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $3,939,403,422,982.89 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $4,331,246,943,765.28 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $4,636,596,577,017.12 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $4,854,141,809,290.95 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $5,546,092,909,535.45 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $6,533,564,792,176.04 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $7,324,459,657,701.71 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $7,626,533,007,334.96 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $7,808,694,376,528.12 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $8,155,325,183,374.08 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $8,370,904,645,476.77 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $8,045,242,053,789.73 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $8,288,342,298,288.51 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $8,543,892,420,537.90 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $8,971,775,061,124.69 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $9,476,322,738,386.31 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $9,737,114,914,425.43 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $9,950,073,349,633.25 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $10,250,180,929,095.35 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $10,560,117,359,413.20 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $10,938,200,488,997.56 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $11,246,826,405,867.97 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $11,344,459,657,701.71 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $11,130,190,709,046.45 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $11,354,288,508,557.46 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $12,056,723,716,381.42 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $12,128,801,955,990.22 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $12,019,374,083,129.59 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $12,388,938,875,305.62 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $12,824,684,596,577.02 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $13,674,552,567,237.17 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $14,221,036,674,816.63 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $14,521,661,907,090.47 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $15,376,201,858,190.71 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $14,094,762,151,589.24 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $15,206,876,968,215.16 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $16,698,509,926,650.37 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $17,089,416,430,317.85 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $17,095,248,215,158.93 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $16,979,477,457,212.71 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $15,652,766,063,569.69 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $15,324,639,706,601.47 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $15,849,225,134,474.33 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $16,564,640,977,995.11 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $16,517,835,990,220.05 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $15,831,074,523,227.38 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $18,136,746,014,669.93 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $20,941,729,682,151.59 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $20,992,728,312,958.44 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $21,284,199,608,801.96 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $21,410,736,234,718.83 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $21,117,404,009,779.95 | -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 |