A conveying device has an accumulation area for accumulating objects, and an operating method operates the conveying device. Using a measuring device, the object rear edge of a first object and the object front edge of a second object which follows the first object are detected. The position of the objects is determined using rotation signals from the drives of conveyor elements. For the second object, a continuous curve of a speed reduction of a target speed is calculated, wherein the calculated stop position of the object front edge of the second object is located at the position of the object rear edge of the stopped first object, or between the object front edge of the stopped first object and the object rear edge of the stopped first object. Subsequently, the second object is moved and stopped using the conveyor elements on the basis of the calculated speed reduction.