According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,780.64% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $147,611,626,449.79 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.47% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $8,289,808,707 in the year 1940 would cost $155,901,435,156.79 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% 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 $8,289,808,707 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 | $8,289,808,707.00 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $8,503,488,603.37 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $9,280,506,408.36 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $9,290,219,130.93 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $9,265,937,324.52 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $9,265,937,324.52 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $9,654,446,227.02 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $10,751,983,876.57 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $11,990,356,003.27 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $12,888,782,840.29 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $13,219,015,407.41 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $14,068,878,631.62 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $14,996,443,636.33 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $15,423,803,429.08 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $15,200,410,810.14 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $15,015,869,081.46 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $15,287,825,313.20 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $16,137,688,537.41 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $16,671,888,278.34 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $17,361,491,580.27 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $17,356,635,218.99 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $17,555,746,031.52 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $17,919,973,127.61 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $18,021,956,714.51 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $18,289,056,584.98 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $18,590,150,984.41 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $18,857,250,854.88 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $19,391,450,595.81 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $20,013,064,839.80 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $20,780,369,922.23 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $21,848,769,404.10 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $22,994,870,666.46 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $23,266,826,898.21 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $24,000,137,451.67 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $26,690,561,601.45 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $29,196,444,022.54 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $32,100,548,068.70 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $34,363,612,425.74 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $35,975,924,371.09 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $41,104,241,884.04 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $48,422,778,334.80 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $54,284,406,401.20 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $56,523,188,951.83 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $57,873,257,388.00 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $60,442,272,505.75 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $62,040,015,367.27 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $59,626,403,810.51 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $61,428,113,845.84 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $63,322,094,745.50 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $66,493,298,662.12 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $70,232,696,848.64 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $72,165,528,638.56 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $73,743,846,054.95 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $75,968,059,521.73 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $78,265,118,407.74 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $81,067,238,866.99 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $83,354,585,030.43 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $84,078,182,861.33 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $82,490,152,722.38 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $84,151,028,280.55 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $89,357,047,573.99 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $89,891,247,314.92 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $89,080,234,980.96 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $91,819,222,743.56 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $95,048,702,995.55 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $101,347,403,577.26 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $105,397,608,885.78 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $107,625,658,877.98 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $113,958,985,315.62 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $104,461,739,503.28 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $112,704,052,996.95 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $123,759,122,381.07 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $126,656,281,830.60 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $126,699,503,446.00 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $125,841,481,534.84 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $116,008,709,721.58 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $113,576,838,246.40 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $117,464,743,960.90 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $122,766,967,771.32 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $122,420,077,885.01 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $117,330,222,753.41 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $134,418,446,884.39 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $155,207,266,875.26 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $155,585,237,473.77 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $157,745,444,098.87 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $158,683,256,025.88 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $155,901,435,156.79 | -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 |