An ambulance cot (10), comprising: a base frame (11) configured for support on a surface a litter frame (17) configured for supporting thereon a patient an elevating mechanism (18) interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to interconnect said litter frame and said base frame in order to facilitate movement of said base frame and said litter frame toward and away from each other anda control mechanism (158) on said cot configured to facilitate said movement of said base frame and said litter frame toward each other and at differing speeds predicated on at least one of whether said base frame is supported on said surface and said litter frame is supported by an external support separate from said elevating mechanism.
