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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Air travel demand is back to pre-pandemic levels, while fares are soaring. Staffing shortages leave airlines with little wiggle room when bad weather hits, which could lead to delays and cancellations -
With a shortage of pilots and other staff, some airlines are cutting back flight schedules. Travelers can expect long lines, packed planes and much higher air fares.
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The pandemic got more people riding bikes, but the number of cyclists hit and killed by cars is rising at an alarming rate. "We're buying materials for ghost bikes in bulk," one cycling advocate says. -
The families of those killed in two crashes of Boeing 737 Max planes will be in federal court in Texas, arguing that the company's deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors should be rescinded.
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A federal judge in Florida has struck down the Biden administration's mask mandate on planes, trains, buses and other public transportation — saying the CDC exceeded its statutory authority.
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If booking an American Airlines flight from two smaller Eastern cities, you'll end up on a bus instead of a plane for the trip to the airline's Philadelphia hub. Other airlines are doing this too.
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Airline CEOs say it's time to end the requirement that everyone wear masks in airports and on planes. The Biden administration has extended the mask mandate until mid-April.
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Domestic air travel demand this spring is back to pre-pandemic levels. But airlines see headwinds as the war in Ukraine drives up jet fuel prices and air fares and has international travel lagging -
Springtime air travel is stronger than at any time since the pandemic began. But airlines still worry that soaring fuel prices and a war in Ukraine could cut into travel plans and revenues.
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A China Eastern Boeing 737-800 with 132 people on board crashed in a remote, mountainous region of China Monday. There do not appear to be any survivors. Investigators are on their way to the scene.
