Measuring Enforcement Activities. On measuring the effectiveness of inspections by the Transport, Public Works and Water Management Inspectorate

In contemporary society, concepts such as effectiveness, transparency and accountability are increasingly important. Measuring effects contributes to this development; however, measuring the effects of enforcement is not easily done. The report, Measuring Enforcement Activities, presents an overview of the various methods that the Transport, Public Works and Water Management Inspectorate (IVW) can utilize to reveal the effects of enforcement. For this study the KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM) searched for best practices used in other countries.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to illustrate the effects of enforcement. These two methods are complimentary. For the purposes of this study, KiM devised a model to measure the effects of enforcement activities in road transport. The researchers first conducted test calculations, and then studied the practical applications of this method in three monitored sectors: passenger transport, ocean-going shipping, and airspace activities. Additionally, KiM identified a number of appropriate indicators for measuring the effects of enforcement activities. The method proved to be applicable for each of the three sectors. Measuring the effects of enforcement is complex, however, and cannot be applied overnight: rather, it is a developmental process, a process of ‘learning evaluations’.