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, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	$ 4,196		$ 3,455		$ 2,151
Sales of rental equipment																	490		399		208
Sales of new equipment																	104		93		84
Contractor supplies sales																	87		87		85
Service and other revenues																	78		83		83
Total revenues	1,338	[1]	1,311	[1]	1,206	[1]	1,100	[1]	1,249	[2]	1,219	[2]	993	[2]	656	[2]	4,955	[1]	4,117	[2]	2,611
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	1,634		1,392		992
Depreciation of rental equipment																	852		699		423
Cost of rental equipment sales																	314		274		142
Cost of new equipment sales																	84		74		67
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	59		62		58
Cost of service and other revenues																	25		29		31
Total cost of revenues																	2,968		2,530		1,713
Gross profit	567	[1]	564	[1]	471	[1]	385	[1]	495	[2]	505	[2]	374	[2]	213	[2]	1,987	[1]	1,587	[2]	898
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	642		588		407
RSC merger related costs																	9		111		19
Restructuring charge																	12		99		19
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	246		198		57
Operating income	342	[1]	337	[1]	250	[1]	149	[1]	236	[2]	222	[2]	46	[2]	87	[2]	1,078	[1]	591	[2]	396
Interest expense, net																	475		512		228
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	3		4		7
Other (income) expense, net																	(5)		(13)		(3)
Income before provision for income taxes																	605		88		164
Provision for income taxes																	218		13		63
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	387		75		101
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0		0
Net income	140	[1]	143	[1]	83	[1]	21	[1]	41	[2]	73	[2]	(52)	[2]	13	[2]	387	[1]	75	[2]	101
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(65)	[3]	9	[3]	(12)	[3]
Comprehensive income																	322		84		89
Parent [Member]
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																	8		0		7
RSC merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		0
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	17		16		15
Operating income																	(25)		(16)		(22)
Interest expense, net																	12		13		12
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	3		4		7
Other (income) expense, net																	(132)		(86)		(73)
Income before provision for income taxes																	92		53		32
Provision for income taxes																	38		60		9
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	54		(7)		23
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	333		82		78
Net income																	387		75		101
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(65)		9		(12)
Comprehensive income																	322		84		89
URNA [Member]
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	3,612		2,699		1,037
Sales of rental equipment																	438		318		117
Sales of new equipment																	82		60		38
Contractor supplies sales																	70		60		37
Service and other revenues																	62		58		43
Total revenues																	4,264		3,195		1,272
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	1,391		1,071		479
Depreciation of rental equipment																	752		558		220
Cost of rental equipment sales																	283		223		80
Cost of new equipment sales																	67		48		30
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	48		44		26
Cost of service and other revenues																	19		21		19
Total cost of revenues																	2,560		1,965		854
Gross profit																	1,704		1,230		418
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	541		434		162
RSC merger related costs																	9		111		19
Restructuring charge																	12		95		7
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	210		160		19
Operating income																	932		430		211
Interest expense, net																	454		432		207
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	191		123		61
Income before provision for income taxes																	287		(125)		(57)
Provision for income taxes																	113		(93)		(4)
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	174		(32)		(53)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	159		114		131
Net income																	333		82		78
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(65)		9		(12)
Comprehensive income																	268		91		66
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		249		742
Sales of rental equipment																	0		32		63
Sales of new equipment																	0		7		21
Contractor supplies sales																	0		7		25
Service and other revenues																	0		8		22
Total revenues																	0		303		873
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		116		352
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		50		137
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		20		44
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		6		17
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		5		17
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		3		7
Total cost of revenues																	0		200		574
Gross profit																	0		103		299
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	0		48		143
RSC merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		0		9
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	0		5		17
Operating income																	0		50		130
Interest expense, net																	6		35		6
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	0		10		37
Income before provision for income taxes																	(6)		5		87
Provision for income taxes																	(2)		15		28
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	(4)		(10)		59
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	112		118		62
Net income																	108		108		121
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(65)		8		(11)
Comprehensive income																	43		116		110
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries Foreign [Member]
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	584		507		372
Sales of rental equipment																	52		49		28
Sales of new equipment																	22		26		25
Contractor supplies sales																	17		20		23
Service and other revenues																	16		17		18
Total revenues																	691		619		466
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	243		205		161
Depreciation of rental equipment																	100		91		66
Cost of rental equipment sales																	31		31		18
Cost of new equipment sales																	17		20		20
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	11		13		15
Cost of service and other revenues																	6		5		5
Total cost of revenues																	408		365		285
Gross profit																	283		254		181
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	88		74		75
RSC merger related costs																	0		0		0
Restructuring charge																	0		4		3
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	19		17		6
Operating income																	176		159		97
Interest expense, net																	5		3		4
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	18		12		12
Income before provision for income taxes																	153		144		81
Provision for income taxes																	41		28		24
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	112		116		57
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0		0
Net income																	112		116		57
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	(50)		3		(6)
Comprehensive income																	62		119		51
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries SPV [Member]
Revenues:
Equipment rentals																	0		0	[4]	0
Sales of rental equipment																	0		0	[4]	0
Sales of new equipment																	0		0	[4]	0
Contractor supplies sales																	0		0	[4]	0
Service and other revenues																	0		0	[4]	0
Total revenues																	0		0	[4]	0
Cost of revenues:
Cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation																	0		0	[4]	0
Depreciation of rental equipment																	0		0	[4]	0
Cost of rental equipment sales																	0		0	[4]	0
Cost of new equipment sales																	0		0	[4]	0
Cost of contractor supplies sales																	0		0	[4]	0
Cost of service and other revenues																	0		0	[4]	0
Total cost of revenues																	0		0	[4]	0
Gross profit																	0		0	[4]	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	5		32	[4]	20
RSC merger related costs																	0		0	[4]	0
Restructuring charge																	0		0	[4]	0
Non-rental depreciation and amortization																	0		0	[4]	0
Operating income																	(5)		(32)	[4]	(20)
Interest expense, net																	5		33	[4]	4
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		0	[4]	0
Other (income) expense, net																	(82)		(72)	[4]	(40)
Income before provision for income taxes																	72		7	[4]	16
Provision for income taxes																	28		3	[4]	6
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	44		4	[4]	10
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	0		0	[4]	0
Net income																	44		4	[4]	10
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	0		0	[4]	0
Comprehensive income																	44		4	[4]	10
Eliminations [Member]
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
RSC 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																	(7)		(4)		(5)
Interest expense—subordinated convertible debentures																	0		0		0
Other (income) expense, net																	0		0		0
Income before provision for income taxes																	7		4		5
Provision for income taxes																	0		0		0
Income before equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	7		4		5
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	(604)		(314)		(271)
Net income																	(597)		(310)		(266)
Other comprehensive (loss) income																	180		(20)		29
Comprehensive income																	$ (417)		$ (330)		$ (237)

[1] 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.

[2] During the fourth quarter of 2012, we recognized $13 of charges associated with the RSC acquisition. Additionally, during the quarter, we recognized restructuring charges of $6, primarily reflecting branch closure charges associated with the RSC acquisition. During the quarter, we also recognized asset impairment charges of $2 which are primarily reflected in non-rental depreciation and amortization and principally relate to write-offs of leasehold improvements and other fixed assets. During the fourth quarter of 2012, we redeemed our 10 7/8 percent Senior Notes and all of our outstanding 1 7/8 percent Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes were converted. Upon redemption/conversion, we recognized a loss of $72 in interest expense, net. The loss represents the difference between the net carrying amount and the total purchase/conversion price of these securities. During the quarter, we also recognized a benefit of $6 in cost of equipment rentals, excluding depreciation related to our provision for self-insurance reserves. Additionally, operating income for the fourth quarter 2012 included $8 of costs, in the aggregate, primarily related to the merger, which should have been recognized in the second and third quarters of 2012. There was no impact on 2012 full year operating income.

[3] There were no material reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive income reflected in other comprehensive income (loss) during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 or 2011. 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 income (loss) during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 or 2011.

[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.