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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Dennis Muilenburg was grilled about whether Boeing had a cozy relationship with the FAA and if the airline tried to conceal information about flaws in its onboard flight-control system, called MCAS. -
Boeing reported a big cut in profits on Wednesday as the 737 Max remains grounded. The company fired a top executive as questions remain about when the Max will return to service.
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Walgreens is testing out delivery from store to door by drone in Virginia, and UPS won approval to expand air delivery of medical supplies. -
The National Transportation Safety Board says Boeing underestimated how pilots would respond to a failure of automated software in the 737 MAX. Two of the jets crashed killing a total of 346 people.
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Twice a year, on the fall and spring equinoxes, the sun sets perfectly framed by Chicago's skyscrapers. The perhaps unintended phenomenon takes its name from England's ancient monument Stonehenge. -
The Federal Aviation Administration found a new problem in Boeing's Max plane last month, so it will likely be several more months before the troubled plane is certified to fly passengers again. -
More than 300 of the planes, including some of the grounded Max versions, may have flawed parts on their wings. The problem is not considered something that could lead to a crash. -
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration hinted it could recertify the plane to fly passengers again by as soon as late June, but he would not commit to a timetable. -
The company is still producing about 50 737 Max planes per month. This week, it unveiled software fixes and other improvements for the fleet as it tried to reassure the public that they are safe. -
Old reports of safety concerns regarding Boeing's scrutinized 737 Max jets are resurfacing and training procedures are getting fresh scrutiny.
