For most of us, getting to work means driving, taking public transport or cycling in - but what if there was another way?
Liverpool has already shown an interest in becoming one of the first places in the UK to pilot the use of new electronic rental scooters, which could provide a new way for people to commute and move around the city.
The UK government has passed new laws allowing the use of e-scooters in the country as it looks to provide different options of travel in the country, with people being urged to avoid public transport because of coronavirus.
One of the companies who are currently in talks with Liverpool Council about the prospect of bringing their e-scooters to Liverpool is Bird.
Launched in 2017 in Santa Monica, Bird now have scooters stationed in more than 100 cities around the world - and it has its sights set on Liverpool next.
Bird's only UK site so far is in Olympic Park in London, but with councils around the country seeking alternatives to public transport, that could soon be set to change.
Find out the latest traffic and travel news in your area using our dedicated tool:
We met up with Harry Porter from Bird who let us take one of the scooters out for a test run to see how they might work on our city's streets.
The e-scooters still aren't allowed on public roads just yet, so the staff at Penny Lane Development Trust in Mossley Hill kindly lent us their car park for the afternoon to try one out.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here.
How do the scooters work?
To hire a Bird e-scooter you need to download their app and then use the map to find your closest scooter. You can also reserve a scooter for up to 30 minutes in advance, to allow you time to get to your chosen location.
Once you're all set up, it costs £1 to unlock a scooter and then costs 15p per minute for use.
Harry told us that Bird often find their scooters are used by commuters who don't live close enough to a bus or train station, the help them speed up the first part of their journey.
They are also regularly disinfected to protect riders in between uses and keep things hygienic and clean.
The scooters have a range of up to 30 miles on full battery - and you can see how fully charged they are when you're reserving a scooter in advance.
Once you've found your scooter, you scan the QR code stuck on top on to the app which unlocks it ready to ride.
Stepping on to the scooters, they come with a kick stand and two brake levers on the handlebars, plus a black throttle and bell.
With speeds of up to 15mph, it felt like we were speeding through the car park on our test spin - but the speeds are limited for safey.
Unlike the city's green City Bikes which are tethered in a number of locations around Liverpool, Bird scooters can simply be parked up and automatically locked in any of a list of locations across the city.
Once the bikes are locked through the app, the wheels stop turning, making them harder for thieves to target.
Where are you allowed to ride on the scooters?
While no e-scooter company has secured a deal with Liverpool Council yet, there are already some rules regarding where you're allowed to use them.
They should only be used in bike lanes or on legal cycle ways where you could reasonably ride a bike.
All riders are also strongly encouraged to wear a helmet, with Bird holding registration events in new cities where they launch to give out helmets to some of their new users.
Bird e-scooters can also have speed limits enforced on them in certain areas, so busy pedestrian thoroughfares or entrances to schools could have their own limit.
If there are some areas where local authorities don't want e-scooters riding through, then Bird can put a 0mph block on the entire area to stop riders from going through at any speed.
The new legislation only allows the e-scooters to travel on roads and in cycle lanes and while helmets will not be legally enforced - they are recommended.
When could we see e-scooters on the streets of Liverpool?
Back in July, Bird shared the news that the Department for Transport had approved their electric scooter model for use in local trials throughout the UK.
The company's blog says: "Equipped with features like dual independent brakes, industry-leading battery waterproofing, bluetooth connectivity and state of the art fault detection that allows us to proactively identify and prevent possible issues, the Bird One can be counted among the safest and most advanced electric scooters in existence."
Amidst an ongoing global pandemic, cities like Liverpool are being forced to rethink how people get around, with policy makers considering so-called 'micromobility' to help.
The UK has moved particularly swiftly to clear the way for electric scooters, fast-tracking the decision to hold trials in early May and legalising them outrightat the start of July.
