David Schaper
David Schaper is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, based in Chicago, primarily covering transportation and infrastructure, as well as breaking news in Chicago and the Midwest.
In this role, Schaper covers aviation and airlines, railroads, the trucking and freight industries, highways, transit, and new means of mobility such as ride hailing apps, car sharing, and shared bikes and scooters. In addition, he reports on important transportation safety issues, as well as the politics behind transportation and infrastructure policy and funding.
Since joining NPR in 2002, Schaper has covered some of the nation's most important news stories, including the Sandy Hook school shooting and other mass shootings, Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, California wildfires, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and numerous other disasters. David has also reported on presidential campaigns in Iowa and elsewhere, on key races for U.S. Senate and House, governorships, and other offices in the Midwest, and he reported on the rise of Barack Obama from relative political obscurity in Chicago to the White House. Along the way, he's brought listeners and online readers many colorful stories about Chicago politics, including the corruption trials and convictions of two former Illinois governors.
But none of that compares to the joy of covering his beloved Chicago Cubs winning the World Series in 2016, and three Stanley Cup Championships for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Prior to joining NPR, Schaper spent almost a decade working as an award-winning reporter and editor for WBEZ/Chicago Public Media, NPR's Member station in Chicago. For three years he covered education issues, reporting in-depth on the problems and progress — financial, educational and otherwise — in Chicago's public schools.
Schaper also served as WBEZ's Assistant Managing Editor of News, managing the station's daily news coverage and editing the reporting staff while often still reporting himself. He later served as WBEZ's political editor and reporter; he was a frequent fill-in news anchor and talk show host. Additionally, he has been an occasional contributor guest panelist on Chicago public television station WTTW's news program, Chicago Tonight.
Schaper began his journalism career in La Crosse, Wisconsin, as a reporter and anchor at Wisconsin Public Radio's WLSU-FM. He has since worked in both public and commercial radio news, including stints at WBBM NewsRadio in Chicago, WXRT-FM in Chicago, WDCB-FM in suburban Chicago, WUIS-FM in Springfield, Illinois, WMAY-AM in Springfield, Illinois, and WIZM-AM and FM in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Schaper earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications and history at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a master's degree in public affairs reporting at the University of Illinois-Springfield. He lives in Chicago with his wife, a Chicago Public School teacher, and they have three adult children.
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Boeing was on the congressional hot seat as senators opened several hearings into a whistleblower's allegations and the aircraft maker's safety and production protocols.
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Winter weather is causing havoc as wide swaths of the Midwest have been walloped with heavy snow and fierce winds.
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In a remarkable turnaround for the airline industry, less than 1% of all flights scheduled were canceled — even though it was the highest number of people flying since the pandemic began.
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Memorial Day weekend kicks off the busy summer air travel season and this may be the busiest ever. But some worry it could be another summer of delays and cancellations after a "pretty rocky" 2022. -
Demand for summer air travel is strong despite high fares. Travelers, however, should brace for the worst — after widespread flight delays and cancellations last summer.
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Spring break season has hit and airline tickets prices are high. Jet fuel, consumer demand and airline staffing shortages are all to blame. But there are other issues in play as well.
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On Capitol Hill, senators grilled Norfolk Southern Railway's CEO about the toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board and Ohio governor spoke.
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After several recent incidents in which airplanes nearly collided, the FAA brought more than 200 aviation professionals and safety experts yesterday to find ways to improve safety.
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Norfolk Southern's CEO and others testify during a Senate committee hearing on the fiery train derailment that occurred in early February in East Palestine, Ohio.
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The CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad faced pointed questioning over the hazardous train derailment and fire that released toxic fumes last month, as well as his company's safety culture.
