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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The holiday travel season is underway, and It stands to be just as busy as pre-pandemic times.
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced action against six airlines, but only one is a U.S. carrier; the others are foreign. "It's too little and too late," one consumer advocate says. -
Airlines and travel websites say that bookings for holiday travel are strong despite higher airfares, as pandemic-weary travelers seem willing to pay. -
If you haven't booked your holiday air travel yet, you probably should. Airlines are reporting high demand and rising prices. (Story aired on ATC on Oct. 21, 2022.)
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If you haven't booked your holiday air travel yet, you probably should. Airlines are reporting high demand and rising prices.
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The FAA will require airlines to give flight attendants at least 10 hours of rest time in between shifts, the same as pilots, to help reduce fatigue. Current rules allow as little as 8 hours of rest. -
Disaster relief organizations are mobilizing to deliver life-saving aid and supplies to those affected by Hurricane Ian.
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Thousands of Southwest Airlines and United Airlines flight attendants picketed outside airport terminals Tuesday — calling for smoother operations, better pay and safety on the job.
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The SEC charges Boeing and its former CEO Dennis Muilenburg "with making materially misleading public statements" following 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. -
Regulations require 1,500 hours of flight time for pilot certification. Regional airline Republic Airways wanted graduates of its flight school to be eligible in half that time. The FAA said no.
