ARLINGTON, Va. (WDVM) — In April, WDVM caught a ride in one of FLARE’s electric shuttles. The business was founded to transport people along Columbia Pike in South Arlington, but COVID-19 had other plans. 

For the last 10 weeks, FLARE shuttled food donations from condominiums and apartments to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. FLARE estimates it transported at least 3,700 pounds of food donations. FLARE partnered with three civic associations to collect the donations. The apartments and condos left boxes in the lobby and once a week a FLARE team member dumped the items into the shuttle. FLARE sanitized the vehicles after each drop-off. “

The efforts that we helped out with, the food donations by the residents, it was a valuable effort and it definitely is making a difference for the people who do need the food,” said CEO and founder Andres Delgado.

As Arlington heads into Phase Three of reopening, Delgado says the company stopped collecting donations so it can start transporting people instead of groceries. The shuttles have dividers and will be sanitized often. The shuttle operators will only allow one passenger per row.