There are three main dimensions to the problem of estimating the capacity of a PRT network. One is the physical attributes of the network itself - the route layout and its geometric properties, the number, size and locations of the stations and the number, size and locations of the storage and maintenance facilities. A second is the control software used to control the movements of individual PRT vehicles. There are several variables in the software that can be controlled by the system operator which will affect the capacity of the system. Such a forecast is difficult to derive, fraught with uncertainty and should be treated only as a rough estimate.
Various factors influence the pattern of flows in such a matrix.
As these factors come into play, singly or in combination, the spatial pattern as well as the total quantity of people to be served will change. The numbers in the cells of this matrix indicate the number of persons who are expected to wish to travel from each station to all other stations during a specified period of time. These values are forecasts and represent the demand for PRT service at some future time. The degree to which the flows in this matrix are uniformly distributed will strongly influence the capacity of the PRT system. All else being equal, greater uniformity will yield greater capacity.