# Milk run

Operations · `Milk run` · verification: source checked

Milk run is a method for moving materials between facilities by routing vehicles to make multiple pick-ups and drop-offs at many facilities. Rather than waiting to accumulate a truckload for direct shipment between two facilities, milk-run vehicles make frequent pick-ups and drop-offs connecting a number of facilities. This can reduce inventories and response times along a value stream.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | methodology |

## Study notes

- Milk runs connect a number of facilities through frequent pick-ups and drop-offs.
- The document contrasts milk runs with waiting to accumulate a truckload for direct shipment between two facilities.
- The document states that milk runs between facilities are similar in concept to material handling routes within facilities.
- The document lists Lean Logistics and Material Handling under "See".

## Sources

1. [Milk Run - Lean Enterprise Institute](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/milk-run/) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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