As the population grows, Chatham Area Transit is making plans to accommodate the increasing number of Spanish speakers riding its buses.

A job fair targeting Hispanics and Latinos is being held Sunday and there are also plans to train all drivers in conversational Spanish, in addition to using more bilingual signs and onboard announcements.

Chief Executive Officer Chadwick Reese said CAT's employment base should be reflective of the community.

In Chatham County, the Latino population has increased about 166 percent to 14,370 residents since 2000, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. In comparison, Chatham's total population increased about 14 percent to 265,128.

"We're getting more and more requests for bilingual speakers," Reese said. "So this is an opportunity for us to diversify."

CAT has only one Latino driver out of about 120 fixed-route and Teleride operators, according to Valerie Ragland, CAT's marketing and communications manager.

The job fair, a team effort between CAT and the Latin American Services Organization, is being held as an outreach to that segment of the community, Ragland said. Currently, only part-time positions are available, but that pool of employees is evaluated when full-time positions open, she said.

The job fair comes at a critical time for Son-Lei Quan, who was born and raised in Honduras before moving to the United States in 1985. Quan, who currently works as a contracted public school bus driver, recently learned a state policy change means she will not qualify for unemployment pay when school is out for summer, as she and other contracted educational workers across Georgia had in the past.

The mother of six said she is reluctant to leave her current job, but it is in her best interest to find something permanent.

"I have a family to support," she said.

SUNDAY JOB FAIR

What: Chatham Area Transit and the Latin American Services Organization are teaming up to host a job fair targeting Latino residents.

When: 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 501 South Coastal Highway, Port Wentworth

Job Requirements: High school diploma or GED, 23 years or older, valid state driver's license for no less than 1 year, available between the hours of 5 a.m. — 3 a.m. weekdays and weekends.

CAT HOLDING GROUND-BREAKING, COMMUNITY FISH FRY TODAY

Chatham Area Transit officials are preparing to begin a $5.7 million renovation of the its current operations facility. A ground-breaking ceremony for the project will take place at 12 p.m. at the 900 East Gwinnett St. location.

After the brief ceremony, guests will be invited to the W. W. Law Community Center — one block away at 900 East Bolton St. — for a community fish fry.