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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As FDA emergency use authorization of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines nears, airlines, FedEx and UPS prepare to transport millions of vials of life saving shots. -
Airlines will play a critical role in transporting COVID-19 vaccines. But there are huge logistical challenges in shipping vaccines quickly and efficiently at low temperatures.
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A rule going into effect in the new year will allow only trained and certified dogs to accompany people with disabilities on commercial airline flights. -
Under a new Department of Transportation rule, only emotional support dogs that meet strict service animal standards will be allowed to fly. The new rule goes into effect next month.
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Last Friday, the Trump administration quietly announced a new regulation that appears to favor airlines at consumers' expense, changing how it defines unfair and deceptive practices.
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More than 3 million people went through TSA airport security checkpoints this weekend. That's the most air travelers in one weekend since March when the pandemic began. -
A spike in coronavirus cases has many people rethinking Thanksgiving travel plans. After air travel ticked up last month, bookings are now down. It seems like fewer people will hit the road, too.
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The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing's 737 Max to fly again. The plane has been grounded for 20 months following two fatal crashes blamed on a faulty flight control system.
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After 20 months on the tarmac following two fatal crashes, Boeing's troubled airliner has been given the green light by the Federal Aviation Administration. -
FAA chief Stephen Dickson says his agency is "in the final stages of reviewing" changes Boeing has made to the aircraft after two deadly crashes and could finish the evaluation "in coming days."
