About Bascom Truck & Auto
Our Family-Owned Business Has Been Serving Des Moines for Decades
Bascom Truck and Automotive, Inc. has a crew of 30 people to help meet your needs. We have thirteen guys on the day shift, eight on the night shift, and three ladies who manage the administrative and accounting areas. Some have been with us for many years, but some are more recent additions. We look forward to doing business with you.
Our History
Bascom Truck & Auto has proudly served the Des Moines area since 1975, when founder Dick Bascom began by repairing trucks for Hyman Freightways. As demand grew, he expanded the business and built a trusted team known for honest work and strong relationships.
In 1999, the shop moved to its current location on NE 14th Street. What began as a 4-bay operation on Delaware Avenue has grown into the current 22-bay facility on NE 14th Street. There are over 30 skilled employees, handling everything from light-duty vehicles to Class 8 trucks and trailers.
In 2003, Dick’s children, Mike and Mandy, joined the business after earning their business degrees. Mike worked his way up from the night shift and now serves as General Manager. Mandy is Vice President of Finance, guiding operations and growth with a focus on people and performance.
Choosing a local, family-run business means you’re working with a team that makes decisions right here in Des Moines – people who are in the shop every day, understanding your needs in real time. We provide full-service repairs on all makes and models with integrity, transparency, and a personal touch that’s getting harder to find.
Bascom Truck & Auto remains proudly family-owned – and truly someplace else.
Our Mission
We are committed to serving our customers with professional automotive and truck repair at a reasonable cost with qualified technicians. We stand on sound business principles and uphold high ethical standards. Our goal is to make your repair experience friendly and successful by offering the best Iowa truck repair.
Dick Bascom
Owner/President
Dick is originally from Panora, Iowa, and graduated from high school in 1973. After high school, he attended the auto mechanics program at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) while fixing trucks in the Hyman Freightways shop at night. He then began Bascom Truck and Auto in 1975.
In the relatively small amount of time left after work, Dick enjoys other mechanical things. He’s an instrument rated private pilot and is currently restoring a 1967 GTO convertible. Sometimes Dick finds the opportunity to travel with his wife to places far and near. Branson, Missouri, is always a favorite, although he has found scuba diving to be better in Guam and Hawaii.
Mike Bascom
General Manager
Mike grew up “fixing” things at home. Fortunately, his skills improved with age and experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Small Business Management. After two years of mission service in Guam as a business manager, he returned to Bascom Truck and Auto in 2003, working as a mechanic on the night shift. Over the years, he got a day shift position, and then worked in the service office before becoming the general manager. Mike lives with his wife and four daughters on a small acreage outside town.
Mandy (Bascom) McWilliams
Vice President of Finance
Mandy was enamored with pens, paper, and calculators as a child, and she dreamed of being a cashier. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Business Finance. She started working in the office, helping Diane Bascom, in 2003. Her husband, Ronald, was a mechanic in Nebraska when they met, and he now works at Bascom as well. They live in the country with their two sons and a daughter.
Ronald McWilliams
Service Manager
Ronald McWilliams grew up in southern Missouri and earned degrees in Automotive Technology and Auto Body from Andrews University. He spent his early career working on cars in Nebraska before moving to the Des Moines area in 2006 and learning diesel repair at Bascom. He moved into the Service Manager position in April, 2022. Outside of work, Ronald likes to “play farm.” He raises a few Highland cows and has a collection of chickens, dogs, and barn cats. In the summer, he enjoys growing as big of a garden as his wife will let him, as well as camping and traveling with his family.
Jon Cotton
Service Adviser
Jon was in the tire business for over 30 years. He came to BTA as a night dispatcher in 2011, later moving to the day shift. Jon likes to play with his farm tractors. He likes to small-bale his 13 acres of hay and enjoys riding his motorcycles and four-wheeler.
Josh Beldin
Service Adviser
Josh Beldin came to BTA in 2012 after spending a number of years working in the construction industry. Josh has always been working on things for himself and his friends, but he put those skills to use professionally when he joined BTA. He and his wife have two sons and a daughter. He enjoys going places, riding dirt bikes, and camping.
Matt Dickey
Night Foreman
Matt has an associate’s degree in Applied Sciences focusing on diesel mechanics, and graduated in 2011. Matt started at Bascom in late 2015, and he has been helping our customers with his expertise since. He loves to spend time with his wife, two kids, and three fur babies. In his spare time, Matt enjoys riding his motorcycle, playing pool, and starting projects that he will never finish.
Jason Barker
Parts Department Manager
Jason has 30 plus years of experience in the automotive parts industry. He enjoys working in the yard and doing home and property improvement projects with his wife. For Jason, family and friends are an important part of his life. He moved to the country three years ago where three horses, two dogs, and one barn kitty also reside.
Traci Cotton
Ambassador of First Impressions & Invoices
Traci has been in the service industry since 1985. After working for some years in the tire industry, she came to BTA in 2013. She enjoys talking to and helping customers. She enjoys living on a small farm and taking care of her dogs and horses with the help of her husband and daughter, and riding her four-wheeler. She enjoys planting a garden every year and improving the landscape with flowers and trees.