According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $365,488,805,031.45 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $23,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $388,488,805,031.45 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.64% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 0%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1945-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $23,000,000,000 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | $23,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $23,964,360,587.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $26,688,679,245.28 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $29,762,578,616.35 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $31,992,662,473.79 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $32,812,368,972.75 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $34,921,907,756.81 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $37,224,318,658.28 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $38,285,115,303.98 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $37,730,607,966.46 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $37,272,536,687.63 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $37,947,589,098.53 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $40,057,127,882.60 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $41,383,123,689.73 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $43,094,863,731.66 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $43,082,809,224.32 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $43,577,044,025.16 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $44,481,132,075.47 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $44,734,276,729.56 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $45,397,274,633.12 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $46,144,654,088.05 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $46,807,651,991.61 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $48,133,647,798.74 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $49,676,624,737.95 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $51,581,236,897.27 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $54,233,228,511.53 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $57,078,092,243.19 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $57,753,144,654.09 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $59,573,375,262.05 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $66,251,572,327.04 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $72,471,698,113.21 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $79,680,293,501.05 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $85,297,693,920.34 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $89,299,790,356.39 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $102,029,350,104.82 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $120,195,492,662.47 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $134,745,283,018.87 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $140,302,410,901.47 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $143,653,563,941.30 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $150,030,398,322.85 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $153,996,331,236.90 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $148,005,241,090.15 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $152,477,463,312.37 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $157,178,721,174.00 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $165,050,314,465.41 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $174,332,285,115.30 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $179,129,979,035.64 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $183,047,693,920.34 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $188,568,658,280.92 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $194,270,440,251.57 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $201,225,890,985.32 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $206,903,563,941.30 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $208,699,685,534.59 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $204,757,861,635.22 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $208,880,503,144.65 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $221,802,935,010.48 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $223,128,930,817.61 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $221,115,828,092.24 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $227,914,570,230.61 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $235,930,817,610.06 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $251,565,513,626.83 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $261,618,972,746.33 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $267,149,460,167.71 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $282,870,104,821.80 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $259,295,948,637.32 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $279,755,099,580.71 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $307,196,100,628.93 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $314,387,458,071.28 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $314,494,743,186.58 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $312,364,952,830.19 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $287,957,950,733.75 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $281,921,535,639.41 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $291,572,133,123.69 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $304,733,364,779.87 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $303,872,311,320.75 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $291,238,223,270.44 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $333,654,779,874.21 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $385,256,991,614.26 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $386,195,193,920.34 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $391,557,279,874.21 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $393,885,125,786.16 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $388,488,805,031.45 | -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 |