Can DOT give you a ticket in a truck stop parking lot?

by Kat
(Ben Wheeler, TX)

One of my drivers got a ticket in a truck stop parking lot. They had just picked up pipe and pulled in to the truck stop to make sure the tie downs were tight because some of the load had shifted. An officer pulled into the parking lot and went over the truck with a fine toothed comb. He was sited for an exhaust "leak" under the cab, loose tie downs, defective anchor points, and one of his backup lights was out. Can they actually give tickets on private property?