Commute Challenge sponsor Adobe achieves BizCycle Gold

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Back in 2002, when Seattle’s bicycle commuting rate hovered around 2 percent (it’s now 3.5 percent) and gas prices averaged $1.60 per gallon, Adobe Seattle installed a bicycle workshop for its employees in an effort to support and encourage bicycle commuting. Far ahead of the bicycle-friendly employer curve then, Adobe continues to lead the pack and is now certified in BizCycle’s first cohort as a Gold level bike-friendly workplace.

Today the “Zac Imboden Bike Cage Workshop” serves the 5 percent of Adobe employees who commute to work by bike, getting them to and from home safely with tools for everything from fixing a flat to truing a wheel. The workshop and other amenities are monitored by SeaBike, Adobe Seattle’s internal bike group that provides a communication and community hub to inform employees about facilities and encourage riding.

SeaBike has been around since before 1997, according to Jeff Moran, a Senior Engineering Manager at Adobe who spearheaded certification.  SeaBike informs employees about Adobe’s incentive programs for alternative commuting, pairs inexperienced commuters with a bike buddy from their neighborhood, messages about upcoming bicycle events at Adobe and connects employees to bicycle advocacy organizations in the community. Each month, SeaBike nominates the bicyclists who rides in the most  as Commuter of the Month, and the lucky pick receives what is known as the best spot in the bike cage to park in style all month long.

While Adobe's bicycle culture is evident and its cyclists are enthusiastic about spreading the joy of biking to work, Moran traces the success of Adobe’s bicycle program back to the company’s supportive and responsive local facilities team and on-site leadership that recognizes the benefit of putting funds toward cycling.

“I joined Adobe in 1997 because their logo was on the 1996 Bike To Work Day water bottle. Seriously, my selection process was that simple,” Moran explains. “As an Adobe Seattle cyclist I've simply set out to keep the community strong and Adobe helps me at every turn.”

Not only does Adobe demonstrate top-notch support internally for bicyclists, this year Adobe is presenting the Commute Challenge as part of Bike Month, an event that encourages over 12,000 people to commute to work by bike during May and beyond.

Adobe scored 35 out of 50 possible credits to receive Gold level certification, but there's still room to improve.

“At this point Adobe Seattle does so much to encourage and support bicycle commuting that this itself is our biggest challenge,” said Moran.

The next step is to focus on how to attract new riders and retain fair weather riders. A women’s bicycle commuting group is in the works to support female bicyclists who might be in either category.

Congratulations, Adobe! Adobe joins twenty other workplaces in the region who support bicycling. Would you like to see your organization on the list? Visit  bizcycle.cascade.org or email bizcycle@cascadebicycleclub.org to learn more.