Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	$ 4,819		$ 4,196		$ 3,455
Sales of rental equipment																	544		490		399
Sales of new equipment																	149		104		93
Contractor supplies sales																	85		87		87
Service and other revenues																	88		78		83
Total revenues	1,564	[1]	1,544	[1]	1,399	[1]	1,178	[1]	1,338	[2]	1,311	[2]	1,206	[2]	1,100	[2]	5,685	[1]	4,955	[2]	4,117
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	1,806		1,634		1,392
Depreciation of rental equipment																	921		852		699
Cost of rental equipment sales																	315		314		274
Cost of new equipment sales																	120		84		74
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	59		59		62
Cost of service and other revenues																	32		25		29
Total cost of revenues																	3,253		2,968		2,530
Gross profit	707	[1]	688	[1]	589	[1]	448	[1]	567	[2]	564	[2]	471	[2]	385	[2]	2,432	[1]	1,987	[2]	1,587
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	758		642		588
Merger related costs																	11		9		111
Restructuring charge																	(1)		12		99
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	273		246		198
Operating income	426	[1]	422	[1]	325	[1]	218	[1]	342	[2]	337	[2]	250	[2]	149	[2]	1,391	[1]	1,078	[2]	591
Interest expense, net																	555		475		512
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		3		4
Other (income) expense, net																	(14)		(5)		(13)
Income before provision for income taxes																	850		605		88
Provision for income taxes																	310		218		13
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	540		387		75
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0		0
Net income	194	[1]	192	[1]	94	[1]	60	[1]	140	[2]	143	[2]	83	[2]	21	[2]	540	[1]	387	[2]	75
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(93)	[3]	(65)	[3]	9	[3]
Comprehensive income																	447		322		84
Eliminations
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		0		0
Sales of rental equipment																	0		0		0
Sales of new equipment																	0		0		0
Contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0
Service and other revenues																	0		0		0
Total revenues																	0		0		0
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		0		0
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		0		0
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		0		0
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		0		0
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		0		0
Total cost of revenues																	0		0		0
Gross profit																	0		0		0
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	0		0		0
Merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		0
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	0		0		0
Operating income																	0		0		0
Interest expense, net																	(6)		(7)		(4)
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	0		0		0
Income before provision for income taxes																	6		7		4
Provision for income taxes																	0		0		0
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	6		7		4
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	(770)		(604)		(314)
Net income																	(764)		(597)		(310)
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	255		180		(20)
Comprehensive income																	(509)		(417)		(330)
Parent
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		0		0
Sales of rental equipment																	0		0		0
Sales of new equipment																	0		0		0
Contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0
Service and other revenues																	0		0		0
Total revenues																	0		0		0
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		0		0
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		0		0
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		0		0
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		0		0
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		0		0
Total cost of revenues																	0		0		0
Gross profit																	0		0		0
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	55		8		0
Merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		0
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	17		17		16
Operating income																	(72)		(25)		(16)
Interest expense, net																	9		12		13
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			3		4
Other (income) expense, net																	(149)		(132)		(86)
Income before provision for income taxes																	68		92		53
Provision for income taxes																	1		38		60
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	67		54		(7)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	473		333		82
Net income																	540		387		75
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(93)		(65)		9
Comprehensive income																	447		322		84
URNA
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	4,217		3,612		2,699
Sales of rental equipment																	478		438		318
Sales of new equipment																	124		82		60
Contractor supplies sales																	70		70		60
Service and other revenues																	73		62		58
Total revenues																	4,962		4,264		3,195
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	1,558		1,391		1,071
Depreciation of rental equipment																	820		752		558
Cost of rental equipment sales																	277		283		223
Cost of new equipment sales																	101		67		48
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	49		48		44
Cost of service and other revenues																	27		19		21
Total cost of revenues																	2,832		2,560		1,965
Gross profit																	2,130		1,704		1,230
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	607		541		434
Merger related costs																	11		9		111
Restructuring charge																	(1)		12		95
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	226		210		160
Operating income																	1,287		932		430
Interest expense, net																	538		454		432
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	212		191		123
Income before provision for income taxes																	537		287		(125)
Provision for income taxes																	236		113		(93)
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	301		174		(32)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	172		159		114
Net income																	473		333		82
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(93)		(65)		9
Comprehensive income																	380		268		91
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		0		249
Sales of rental equipment																	0		0		32
Sales of new equipment																	0		0		7
Contractor supplies sales																	0		0		7
Service and other revenues																	0		0		8
Total revenues																	0		0		303
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		0		116
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		0		50
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		0		20
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		0		6
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		0		5
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		0		3
Total cost of revenues																	0		0		200
Gross profit																	0		0		103
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	3		0		48
Merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		0
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	1		0		5
Operating income																	(4)		0		50
Interest expense, net																	5		6		35
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	(3)		0		10
Income before provision for income taxes																	(6)		(6)		5
Provision for income taxes																	0		(2)		15
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	(6)		(4)		(10)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	125		112		118
Net income																	119		108		108
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(90)		(65)		8
Comprehensive income																	29		43		116
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries - Foreign
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	602		584		507
Sales of rental equipment																	66		52		49
Sales of new equipment																	25		22		26
Contractor supplies sales																	15		17		20
Service and other revenues																	15		16		17
Total revenues																	723		691		619
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	248		243		205
Depreciation of rental equipment																	101		100		91
Cost of rental equipment sales																	38		31		31
Cost of new equipment sales																	19		17		20
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	10		11		13
Cost of service and other revenues																	5		6		5
Total cost of revenues																	421		408		365
Gross profit																	302		283		254
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	84		88		74
Merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		4
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	29		19		17
Operating income																	189		176		159
Interest expense, net																	4		5		3
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	17		18		12
Income before provision for income taxes																	168		153		144
Provision for income taxes																	43		41		28
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	125		112		116
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0		0
Net income																	125		112		116
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(72)		(50)		3
Comprehensive income																	53		62		119
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries - SPV
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		0		0	[4]
Sales of rental equipment																	0		0		0	[4]
Sales of new equipment																	0		0		0	[4]
Contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0	[4]
Service and other revenues																	0		0		0	[4]
Total revenues																	0		0		0	[4]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		0		0	[4]
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		0		0	[4]
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		0		0	[4]
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		0		0	[4]
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		0		0	[4]
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		0		0	[4]
Total cost of revenues																	0		0		0	[4]
Gross profit																	0		0		0	[4]
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	9		5		32	[4]
Merger related costs																	0		0		0	[4]
Restructuring charge																	0		0		0	[4]
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	0		0		0	[4]
Operating income																	(9)		(5)		(32)	[4]
Interest expense, net																	5		5		33	[4]
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																			0		0	[4]
Other (income) expense, net																	(91)		(82)		(72)	[4]
Income before provision for income taxes																	77		72		7	[4]
Provision for income taxes																	30		28		3	[4]
Income (loss) before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	47		44		4	[4]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0		0	[4]
Net income																	47		44		4	[4]
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	0		0		0	[4]
Comprehensive income																	$ 47		$ 44		$ 4	[4]

[1] The fourth quarter of 2014 includes an increase in bad debt expense of $8 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2013 primarily due to improved receivable aging which reduced the expense in the fourth quarter of 2013. Additionally, the fourth quarter of 2014 includes an increase in stock compensation, net of $14 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2013 primarily due to improved profitability which resulted in increased performance based stock compensation.

[2] The fourth quarter of 2013 includes a reduction in bad debt expense of $17 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2012 primarily due to improved receivable aging. In the fourth quarter of 2013, we recognized a benefit of $3 in cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation related to our provision for self-insurance reserves.

[3] There were no material reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income reflected in other comprehensive (loss) income during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 or 2012. There is no tax impact related to the foreign currency translation adjustments, as the earnings are considered permanently reinvested. There were no material taxes associated with other comprehensive (loss) income during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 or 2012.

[4] Includes interest expense prior to the April 30, 2012 RSC acquisition date on the merger financing debt issued by Funding SPV, as discussed further in note 12 to our consolidated financial statements.