A load assist module for transferring an article onto a downstream conveyor, the load assist module comprising: a roller conveyor comprising one or more rollers that define a conveyor plane, wherein the one or more rollers are actuatable to convey the article along the conveyor plane in a direction of a downstream conveyor; a pusher assembly positioned adjacent to the conveyor plane, wherein the pusher assembly comprises a track-guided vertical popup defining a base and a pop-up, wherein the pop-up is actuatable to extend through the conveyor plane to contact the article, wherein the pusher assembly is configured to drive the track-guided vertical popup in the direction of the downstream conveyor such that the track-guided vertical popup pushes the article; a drive assembly comprising a timing belt driven by a pair of roller mounted timing pulleys, wherein the timing belt is coupled to the track-guided vertical popup to: drive the track-guided vertical popup in a first direction, towards the downstream conveyor, to transfer the article onto the downstream conveyor; and drive the track-guided vertical popup in a second direction, away from the downstream conveyor, once the article is transferred onto the downstream conveyor; characterized in that the drive assembly further comprises a flag coupled to the timing belt and configured to move in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the track-guided vertical popup; and in that the load assist module further comprises: one or more sensors configured to detect the flag, based on which detection the load assist module being configured to determine: a position of the timing belt and a position of the track-guided vertical popup; one or more pneumatic pop-out stops positioned adjacent to the downstream conveyor, such that the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops extend to stop the article against the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops until the downstream conveyor is ready to receive the article. a roller conveyor comprising one or more rollers that define a conveyor plane, wherein the one or more rollers are actuatable to convey the article along the conveyor plane in a direction of a downstream conveyor; a pusher assembly positioned adjacent to the conveyor plane, wherein the pusher assembly comprises a track-guided vertical popup defining a base and a pop-up, wherein the pop-up is actuatable to extend through the conveyor plane to contact the article, wherein the pusher assembly is configured to drive the track-guided vertical popup in the direction of the downstream conveyor such that the track-guided vertical popup pushes the article; a drive assembly comprising a timing belt driven by a pair of roller mounted timing pulleys, wherein the timing belt is coupled to the track-guided vertical popup to: drive the track-guided vertical popup in a first direction, towards the downstream conveyor, to transfer the article onto the downstream conveyor; and drive the track-guided vertical popup in a second direction, away from the downstream conveyor, once the article is transferred onto the downstream conveyor; characterized in that the drive assembly further comprises a flag coupled to the timing belt and configured to move in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the track-guided vertical popup; drive the track-guided vertical popup in a first direction, towards the downstream conveyor, to transfer the article onto the downstream conveyor; and drive the track-guided vertical popup in a second direction, away from the downstream conveyor, once the article is transferred onto the downstream conveyor; characterized in that the drive assembly further comprises a flag coupled to the timing belt and configured to move in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the track-guided vertical popup; and in that the load assist module further comprises: one or more sensors configured to detect the flag, based on which detection the load assist module being configured to determine: a position of the timing belt and a position of the track-guided vertical popup; one or more pneumatic pop-out stops positioned adjacent to the downstream conveyor, such that the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops extend to stop the article against the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops until the downstream conveyor is ready to receive the article. one or more sensors configured to detect the flag, based on which detection the load assist module being configured to determine: a position of the timing belt and a position of the track-guided vertical popup; one or more pneumatic pop-out stops positioned adjacent to the downstream conveyor, such that the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops extend to stop the article against the one or more pneumatic pop-out stops until the downstream conveyor is ready to receive the article.