According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,787.97% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $60,791,043,936.73 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 $3,400,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $64,191,043,936.73 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 $3,400,000,000 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 | $3,400,000,000.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $3,487,639,132.98 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $3,806,326,889.28 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $3,810,310,486.23 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $3,800,351,493.85 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $3,800,351,493.85 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $3,959,695,372.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $4,409,841,827.77 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $4,917,750,439.37 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $5,286,233,157.59 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $5,421,675,454.01 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $5,770,240,187.46 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $6,150,673,696.54 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $6,325,951,962.51 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $6,234,329,232.57 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $6,158,640,890.45 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $6,270,181,605.16 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $6,618,746,338.61 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $6,837,844,171.06 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $7,120,679,554.77 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $7,118,687,756.30 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $7,200,351,493.85 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $7,349,736,379.61 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $7,391,564,147.63 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $7,501,113,063.85 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $7,624,604,569.42 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $7,734,153,485.65 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $7,953,251,318.10 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $8,208,201,523.14 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $8,522,905,682.48 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $8,961,101,347.39 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $9,431,165,787.93 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $9,542,706,502.64 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $9,843,468,072.64 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $10,946,924,428.82 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $11,974,692,442.88 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $13,165,787,932.04 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $14,093,966,022.26 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $14,755,243,116.58 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $16,858,582,308.14 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $19,860,222,612.77 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $22,264,323,374.34 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $23,182,542,472.17 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $23,736,262,448.74 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $24,789,923,843.00 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $25,445,225,541.89 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $24,455,301,698.89 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $25,194,258,933.80 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $25,971,060,339.78 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $27,271,704,745.17 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $28,805,389,572.35 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $29,598,125,366.14 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $30,245,459,871.12 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $31,157,703,573.52 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $32,099,824,253.08 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $33,249,091,974.22 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $34,187,229,056.82 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $34,484,007,029.88 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $33,832,688,927.94 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $34,513,884,007.03 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $36,649,091,974.22 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $36,868,189,806.68 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $36,535,559,461.04 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $37,658,933,801.99 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $38,983,479,789.10 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $41,566,842,413.59 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $43,228,002,343.29 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $44,141,819,566.49 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $46,739,383,714.12 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $42,844,162,858.82 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $46,224,683,069.71 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $50,758,833,040.42 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $51,947,080,257.76 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $51,964,807,264.21 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $51,612,896,309.31 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $47,580,062,097.25 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $46,582,649,091.97 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $48,177,243,116.58 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $50,351,908,611.60 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $50,209,634,446.40 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $48,122,070,298.77 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $55,130,671,353.25 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $63,657,042,765.08 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $63,812,064,440.54 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $64,698,056,239.02 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $65,082,692,442.88 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $64,191,043,936.73 | -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 |