Debt and Subordinated Convertible Debentures Debt and Subordinated Convertible Debentures (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended							6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 4 percent Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 4 percent Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 4 percent Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ABL Facility [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After July 15, 2015 [Member] 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After July 15, 2017 [Member] 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After May 15, 2016 [Member] 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After May 15, 2018 [Member] 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After April 15, 2017 [Member] 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 After April 15, 2020 [Member] 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] 4 percent Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] 4 percent Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]		Nov. 30, 2009 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] After November 15, 2014 [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] After November 15, 2017 [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] After February 1, 2016 [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] After February 1, 2019 [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount			$ 750,000,000	[1]		$ 750,000,000	[1]		$ 1,325,000,000	[1]				$ 173,000,000												$ 200,000,000	[1]			$ 650,000,000	[1]
Redemption price percent																102.875%	100.00%	103.688%	100.00%	103.813%	100.00%											105.125%	100.00%	104.125%	100.00%
Redemption purchase price in cash percent			101.00%			101.00%			101.00%																	101.00%				101.00%
Unamortized portion of fair value adjustment from assumed debt carriying value																								24,000,000				48,000,000
Effective interest rate												8.00%												8.30%				7.00%
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt			733,000,000			732,000,000			1,295,000,000
Stated interest rate	10.25%	8.25%			5.75%			7.375%			7.625%	4.00%													10.25%				8.25%
Hedge transactions cost													26,000,000
Hedge transactions cost decreased APIC													17,000,000
Convertible note hedge transactions shares (in shares)												15.1
Effective conversion price (in dollars per share)												$ 15.56
Percentage premium over price at issuance												75.00%
Closing price at issuance (in dollars per share)												$ 8.89
Market price per share (in dollars per share)																						$ 35.00	$ 40.00
Convertible equity shares (in shares)																						8.4	9.2
Maximum borrowing capacity															1,900,000,000
Maximum revolving credit amount percentage															10.00%
Debt terms reference amount to maximum revolving credit															$ 150,000,000

[1] In connection with the RSC merger, on March 9, 2012, we issued the merger financing notes. See below for additional detail regarding each of the merger financing notes.