An apparatus for storing articles includes: a feed line, two removal lines and a reservoir therebetween and including a feed station with a feed transfer device operable with a feed line, two pickup stations, each with a pickup transfer device and operable with a removal line, and a movable support with receiving seats movable along a closed path through the feed and pickup stations so the articles are transferred from the feed line to the movable support and the articles are transferred from the movable support to a removal line by a pickup transfer device. A control unit drives the transfer devices based on current capacity values of the feed line and the removal lines to vary the number of articles disposed on the movable support during an imbalance between the current capacity of the feed line and the current capacity of the removal lines.

In one aspect, a method is provided for controlling access to a facility including a movable barrier and a plurality of loading docks. The method includes receiving, from a user device associated with a vehicle, a check-in communication that includes a check-in identifier. The method includes receiving a verification communication that verifies a presence of the vehicle relative to a sensor associated with the movable barrier. The method further includes causing a movable barrier operator associated with the movable barrier to move the movable barrier between closed and open positions in response to the check-in identifier indicating authorization to access the facility and in response to receiving the verification communication. Further, the method includes selecting a particular loading dock from the plurality of loading docks and communicating a loading dock identification representative of the particular loading dock to the user device to direct the vehicle to the particular loading dock.

An ambulance cot loading and unloading system for an emergency vehicle includes a base for mounting in the emergency vehicle and an arm mounted for linear movement along the base, wherein the arm configured to support a cot while the cot is being loaded into or unloaded from the emergency vehicle. The ambulance cot loading and unloading system further includes an indicator mounted relative to the arm and a control system, which is in communication with the indicator and configured to generate a status indication of the cot loading and unloading system at the indicator.