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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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. -
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. -
The Biden administration sued on Tuesday to block the $3.8 billion purchase, saying the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers. -
A JetBlue passenger jet took evasive action while coming in to land at Boston's Logan airport to avoid hitting another plane. It's the fifth such runway incursion over the last several weeks. -
The transportation secretary wants stricter regulations on freight trains hauling toxic or volatile chemicals, and is calling on Congress to "untie" the DOT's hands for implementing safety measures. -
India's second-largest domestic carrier placed orders for 220 Boeing aircraft valued at $34 billion and 250 Airbus planes in a separate deal that could be worth tens of billions of dollars. -
India's second-largest domestic carrier placed orders for 220 Boeing aircraft valued at $34 billion and 250 Airbus planes in a separate deal that could be worth tens of billions of dollars.
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A top executive entered the plea on behalf of the company in federal court in Texas Thursday, as relatives of those killed in two crashes push to overturn deal giving Boeing immunity. -
This week's NOTAM system failure, which caused thousands of flight delays and cancelations, has airline industry leaders calling for more stable funding to upgrade antiquated FAA systems. -
Biting wind and heavy snow are expected across 17 states this week, sending temperatures plummeting as low as minus 30 F in some areas. Blizzard conditions could hit the Upper Midwest on Thursday.
