According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,589.08% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $889,885,786,163.52 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 $56,000,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $945,885,786,163.52 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 $56,000,000,000 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 | $56,000,000,000.00 | - |
| 1946 | $58,348,008,385.74 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $64,981,132,075.47 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $72,465,408,805.03 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $77,895,178,197.06 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $79,890,985,324.95 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $85,027,253,668.76 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $90,633,123,689.73 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $93,215,932,914.05 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $91,865,828,092.24 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $90,750,524,109.01 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $92,394,129,979.04 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $97,530,398,322.85 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $100,758,909,853.25 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $104,926,624,737.95 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $104,897,274,633.12 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $106,100,628,930.82 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $108,301,886,792.45 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $108,918,238,993.71 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $110,532,494,758.91 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $112,352,201,257.86 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $113,966,457,023.06 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $117,194,968,553.46 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $120,951,781,970.65 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $125,589,098,532.49 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $132,046,121,593.29 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $138,972,746,331.24 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $140,616,352,201.26 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $145,048,218,029.35 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $161,308,176,100.63 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $176,452,830,188.68 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $194,004,192,872.12 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $207,681,341,719.08 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $217,425,576,519.92 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $248,419,287,211.74 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $292,649,895,178.20 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $328,075,471,698.11 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $341,605,870,020.96 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $349,765,199,161.43 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $365,291,404,612.16 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $374,947,589,098.53 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $360,360,587,002.10 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $371,249,475,890.99 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $382,696,016,771.49 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $401,861,635,220.13 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $424,461,215,932.91 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $436,142,557,651.99 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $445,681,341,719.08 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $459,123,689,727.46 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $473,006,289,308.18 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $489,941,299,790.36 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $503,765,199,161.43 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $508,138,364,779.87 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $498,540,880,503.14 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $508,578,616,352.20 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $540,041,928,721.17 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $543,270,440,251.57 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $538,368,972,746.33 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $554,922,431,865.83 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $574,440,251,572.33 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $612,507,337,526.21 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $636,985,324,947.59 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $650,450,859,538.78 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $688,727,211,740.04 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $631,329,266,247.38 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $681,142,851,153.04 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $747,955,723,270.44 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $765,465,115,303.98 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $765,726,331,236.90 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $760,540,754,716.98 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $701,115,010,482.18 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $686,417,651,991.61 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $709,914,758,909.85 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $741,959,496,855.35 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $739,863,018,867.92 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $709,101,761,006.29 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $812,376,855,345.91 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $938,017,023,060.80 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $940,301,341,719.08 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $953,356,855,345.91 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $959,024,654,088.05 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $945,885,786,163.52 | -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 |