According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 613.55% higher in 2026 versus 1970 (a $271,188,171,593.69 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.57% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $44,200,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $315,388,171,593.69 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 $44,200,000,000 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 | $44,200,000,000.00 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $46,518,559,679.93 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $47,068,726,383.64 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $48,552,211,602.58 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $53,994,932,207.16 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $59,064,325,405.65 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $64,939,319,848.86 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $69,517,492,776.17 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $72,779,195,376.75 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $83,153,767,503.89 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $97,959,146,476.99 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $109,817,203,823.07 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $114,346,254,723.27 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $117,077,439,430.98 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $122,274,549,899.98 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $125,506,779,284.29 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $120,624,049,788.84 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $124,268,904,200.93 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $128,100,422,316.07 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $134,515,759,057.57 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $142,080,551,233.61 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $145,990,664,592.13 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $149,183,596,354.75 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $153,683,174,038.68 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $158,330,117,803.96 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $163,998,799,733.27 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $168,626,094,687.71 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $170,089,931,095.80 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $166,877,350,522.34 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $170,237,297,177.15 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $180,769,059,791.06 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $181,849,744,387.64 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $180,209,068,681.93 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $185,750,033,340.74 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $192,283,262,947.32 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $205,025,516,781.51 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $213,219,070,904.65 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $217,726,409,868.86 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $230,538,711,713.71 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $211,325,809,735.50 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $227,999,987,108.25 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $250,364,361,858.19 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $256,225,307,401.64 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $256,312,744,609.91 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $254,576,968,659.70 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $234,685,298,510.78 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $229,765,629,250.94 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $237,630,851,744.83 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $248,357,235,830.18 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $247,655,478,550.79 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $237,358,715,714.60 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $271,928,145,810.18 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $313,983,871,082.46 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $314,748,504,556.57 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $319,118,596,577.02 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $321,015,787,508.34 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $315,388,171,593.69 | -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 |