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Members of Springfield, Ohio's UAW Local 402 have started a letter-writing campaign to Ohio Gov. John Kasich and state lawmakers after Navistar lost its years-long hold on a contract to provide trucks for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Truck driving — one of the most in-demand and stable jobs in Ohio — could face major changes as the industry develops new automated, driverless technology.

The Navistar-GM partnership in Springfield, Ohio has lead a Michigan trucking company to open a new terminal in Springfield, a move that could lead to a $5.2 million investment and more than 100 jobs over three years.

Navistar’s president and CEO told a Senate panel last week that autonomous vehicle technology likely won’t eliminate the need for truck drivers, but drivers may need to gain new skills as they’re asked to manage several trucks at once.

Navistar will lay off more than 80 workers at its Ohio Truck Specialty Center in Springfield, Ohio, beginning in early August, according to a notice the truck manufacturer filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

A federal judge ruled on Jan. 25 that a civil case alleging Navistar’s former CEO misled investors about a failed engine technology can move forward.

The commercial trucking industry has struggled with a shortage of drivers for at least a decade, but now Clark County, Ohio, educators and driving schools throughout the state face a hard time finding instructors as well.