Acquisitions (Pro Forma Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended									1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Impact of fair value mark-ups/useful life changes on depreciation		Jun. 30, 2013 Impact of fair value mark-ups/useful life changes on depreciation		Jun. 30, 2014 Impact of fair value mark-ups/useful life changes on depreciation		Jun. 30, 2013 Impact of fair value mark-ups/useful life changes on depreciation		Jun. 30, 2014 Intangible asset amortization		Jun. 30, 2013 Intangible asset amortization		Jun. 30, 2014 Intangible asset amortization		Jun. 30, 2013 Intangible asset amortization		Jun. 30, 2014 Interest Expense		Jun. 30, 2013 Interest Expense		Jun. 30, 2014 Interest Expense		Jun. 30, 2013 Interest Expense		Jun. 30, 2014 Elimination of historic National Pump interest		Jun. 30, 2013 Elimination of historic National Pump interest		Jun. 30, 2014 Elimination of historic National Pump interest		Jun. 30, 2013 Elimination of historic National Pump interest		Jun. 30, 2014 Elimination of merger costs		Jun. 30, 2013 Elimination of merger costs		Jun. 30, 2014 Elimination of merger costs		Jun. 30, 2013 Elimination of merger costs		Jun. 30, 2014 National Pump	Jun. 30, 2013 National Pump	Jun. 30, 2014 National Pump	Jun. 30, 2013 National Pump	Apr. 30, 2014 Add-on to 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes	Mar. 31, 2014 Add-on to 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes	Jun. 30, 2014 5 3/4 percent Senior Notes	Apr. 30, 2014 5 3/4 percent Senior Notes	Mar. 31, 2014 5 3/4 percent Senior Notes	Jun. 30, 2014 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes	Apr. 30, 2014 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes	Apr. 30, 2014 Interest Expense 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,399,000,000	$ 1,206,000,000	$ 2,577,000,000	$ 2,306,000,000																																									$ 0	$ 52,000,000	$ 62,000,000	$ 94,000,000
Pro forma revenues	1,399,000,000	1,258,000,000	2,639,000,000	2,400,000,000
Income before provision for income taxes	142,000,000	131,000,000	236,000,000	161,000,000																																									0	15,000,000	20,000,000	26,000,000
Combined pretax income	142,000,000	146,000,000	256,000,000	187,000,000
Pro forma adjustments to combined pretax income					0	[1]	(1,000,000)	[1]	(1,000,000)	[1]	(2,000,000)	[1]	1,000,000	[2]	(13,000,000)	[2]	(11,000,000)	[2]	(26,000,000)	[2]	68,000,000	[3]	(7,000,000)	[3]	62,000,000	[3]	(79,000,000)	[3]	0	[4]	1,000,000	[4]	0	[4]	1,000,000	[4]	8,000,000	[5]	0	[5]	9,000,000	[5]	0	[5]
Pro forma pretax income (loss)	219,000,000	126,000,000	315,000,000	81,000,000
Stated interest rate	4.00%		4.00%																																														6.125%		5.75%	5.75%		9.25%	9.25%
Face amount																																																		525,000,000			850,000,000
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt securities			$ (75,000,000)	$ 0																																																				$ (64,000,000)

[1] Depreciation of rental equipment and non-rental depreciation were adjusted for the fair value mark-ups of equipment acquired in the National Pump acquisition. The useful lives assigned to such equipment didn’t change significantly from the lives historically used by National Pump.

[2] The intangible assets acquired in the National Pump acquisition were amortized.

[3] In connection with the National Pump acquisition, URNA issued $525 principal amount of 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes (as an add on to our existing 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes) and $850 principal amount of 5 3/4 percent Senior Notes, and all our outstanding 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes were redeemed, as discussed in note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements. Interest expense was adjusted to reflect these changes in our debt portfolio. For the pro forma presentation, the $64 loss recognized upon redemption of the 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes discussed in note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements was moved from the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 to the six months ended June 30, 2013.

[4] Interest on National Pump historic debt was eliminated.

[5] Merger related costs associated with the National Pump acquisition were eliminated as they were assumed to have been recognized prior to the pro forma acquisition date.