According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $2,145,566,256,590,510 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.48% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $120,000,000,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $2,265,566,256,590,510 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.64%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $120,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $120,000,000,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $123,093,145,869,947.28 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $134,340,949,033,391.91 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $134,481,546,572,935.00 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $134,130,052,724,077.31 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $134,130,052,724,077.31 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $139,753,954,305,799.66 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $155,641,476,274,165.22 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $173,567,662,565,905.09 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $186,572,934,973,637.91 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $191,353,251,318,101.91 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $203,655,536,028,119.53 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $217,082,601,054,481.56 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $223,268,892,794,376.09 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $220,035,149,384,885.75 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $217,363,796,133,567.69 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $221,300,527,240,773.28 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $233,602,811,950,790.88 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $241,335,676,625,659.03 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $251,318,101,933,216.19 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $251,247,803,163,444.63 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $254,130,052,724,077.38 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $259,402,460,456,942.00 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $260,878,734,622,144.13 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $264,745,166,959,578.25 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $269,103,690,685,413.03 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $272,970,123,022,847.13 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $280,702,987,697,715.28 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $289,701,230,228,471.00 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $300,808,435,852,372.56 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $316,274,165,202,109.00 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $332,864,674,868,189.81 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $336,801,405,975,395.44 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $347,416,520,210,896.31 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $386,362,038,664,323.44 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $422,636,203,866,432.38 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $464,674,868,189,806.75 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $497,434,094,903,339.19 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $520,773,286,467,486.75 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $595,008,787,346,221.50 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $700,949,033,391,915.63 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $785,799,648,506,151.00 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $818,207,381,370,825.88 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $837,750,439,367,311.00 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $874,938,488,576,449.75 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $898,066,783,831,283.00 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $863,128,295,254,833.00 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $889,209,138,840,070.50 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $916,625,659,050,966.75 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $962,530,755,711,775.25 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $1,016,660,808,435,852.50 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,044,639,718,804,921.00 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,067,486,818,980,667.88 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,099,683,655,536,028.00 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,132,934,973,637,961.25 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,173,497,363,796,133.50 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $1,206,608,084,358,523.75 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $1,217,082,601,054,481.50 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,194,094,903,339,191.50 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $1,218,137,082,601,054.50 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $1,293,497,363,796,133.50 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $1,301,230,228,471,001.75 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $1,289,490,333,919,156.50 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $1,329,138,840,070,299.00 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $1,375,887,521,968,365.50 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $1,467,065,026,362,038.75 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,525,694,200,351,494.00 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,557,946,572,934,974.00 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,649,625,307,557,118.00 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,512,146,924,428,822.50 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,631,459,402,460,457.25 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,791,488,224,956,063.25 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,833,426,362,038,664.25 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,834,052,021,089,630.75 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,821,631,634,446,397.00 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,679,296,309,314,587.00 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,644,093,497,363,796.25 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,700,373,286,467,486.75 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,777,126,186,291,740.25 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,772,104,745,166,959.25 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,698,426,010,544,815.25 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,945,788,400,702,987.75 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $2,246,719,156,414,763.00 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $2,252,190,509,666,080.50 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $2,283,460,808,435,852.50 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $2,297,036,203,866,432.50 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $2,265,566,256,590,510.00 | -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 |