Hiring criteria for mobile tech position?

I live in one of the least expensive areas to live in the US. Pay should follow. A friend of mine owns a tractor dealership and thought he would steal a road mechanic. Tech lived local and worked for a company an hour away. Offered him $38.00 an hour, retirement and insurance program. That was 4 or 5 years ago and the tech turned him down. The job he was already doing was not just punching buttons. I had seen him with axle ends pulled off Vector spreaders with a boom truck and such.

 

Update:
The hiring manager called and we spoke today.
This guy was from a different location (same company) and had a shop position. The pay is less but it's closer to home. Now the focus is on navigating being a shop tech vs a field tech. Decisions decisions!!!!

Kelly