We're really not beating around the bush here. We could sing it, or do a little dance, but the bottom line is this: your Zipcar should be nestled snug in its spot when your reservation is over. Starting soon, not returning your Zipcar when you say you will could put your membership in jeopardy. (And no one wants to have a carload of presents to haul and no Zipcar to haul them in.)

The good news is that you now have an online snapshot of your recent reservations. Check to see when you've been on time (thank you), and when you've been late. View your reservations here.

And don't forget about text alerts, the easiest way to know when it's time to head back or whether or not you can extend your reservation. Learn more and sign up here.

No matter what, always call Member Services at 866.494.7227 if you're going to be late. It gives us the opportunity to make other arrangements for the next member.

We're sprucing up zipcar.com! As we grow, car sharing becomes available to more and more people. When new people come to our site, we want to make sure that they feel welcome. We also want to be sure they're getting the best information and a feel for who we are.

As it turns out, who we are is you. It sounds really deep, but all we mean is that the Zipcar community is made up of real people who use Zipcars to do real things. If you've got a story or photo to share, we'd love for you to do just that. We'd like to do more than tell people about the benefits of Zipcar; we'd like to show them. (Or rather, we'd like for you to show them.) Send your stuff (in .gif or .jpg format) to share@zipcar.com and we'll send you some driving credit if we use it on our website.

You'll soon see that the member website is also getting a little makeover. Don't worry, everything (i.e. making a reservation, checking your invoice, etc.) will still work exactly the same way. We're just doing this to create a more consistent experience across the site as a whole. Very soon we'll be reaching out for your ideas on how we can continue to make things better. If you have something you want to tell us now, just email share@zipcar.com.

Stay tuned for next month's newsletter where we're planning to give you a sneak preview of the website before anyone else (shhhhhh...).

Say what? Gotanother. If you've "got another" family member or housemate who mooches rides in your Zipcar, you should know that it's a cinch to add people to your household account. Send them here to begin the application process. We'll walk them through it.

When it's that easy to add new peeps to your account, there is no reason for anyone but you to ever be using your Zipcard or driving your Zipcar. Think of it like a sacred experience that should only be shared between you and your chosen Zipcars. Break the covenant and you could lose your membership forever. Not worth it for a mooch!

Important note: adding someone to your account means liking them enough to be responsible for THEIR charges on YOUR credit card bill. If you don't like them that much, you can always refer them instead and earn some driving credit.

We're not sure if you heard us the first time, so we want to make sure you're paying attention.  Did you know that Zipcar has discounted rates for businesses?  A lot of companies in the DC area are already using our cars to complete their everyday tasks and yours should too.  Zipcar is a great money- and time-saving alternative to taxis, car services and rental cars.  If you get your company to sign up for a Z4B account, you can earn $50 in driving credit.  Find out more about how your business can benefit from car sharing by going to zipcar.com/biz.  You won't be disappointed.

As promised, we are offering up yet another suggestion for a possible weekend trip you can take in a Zipcar.  This month we thought you might enjoy taking in some fall foliage and hiking through the crisp autumn air at Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, MD.  It's only 43 miles away from the nation's capital, well under your allotted 180 free miles.  Do us a favor and snap some photos while you're there, and send them to Anthony at amarinos@zipcar.com.  We'd love to see what you've been seeing.  Mmmmm Sugarloaf Mountain.  It sounds delicious.  Or like a course from Mario Kart.  Come to think of it, we're pretty sure that Sugarloaf Mountain is a level in the Nintendo classic Mario Is Missing!