B ecause of it, the morning rush period went well overall, he said, with no major delays reported, despite the transit agency eliminating nine express bus routes as well as reducing service on more than 100 others and trimming back train schedules. CTA officials confirmed the complaints of many riders that in many instances buses and trains were too full early on their routes to pick up people waiting at bus stops and rail stations. [1]

That's what one commuter said as she waited for a Route 66 bus Monday morning, the first weekday after service on 119 bus routes and seven rail lines was reduced. The X49 Western Express bus is among the nine express routes that vanished in the Chicago Transit Authority's endeavor to close a $95 million budget gap. [2]