A system can include a motor for driving a tarp roller across a trailer for covering and uncovering the trailer with a tarp. The system can also include a power supply for powering the motor. The system can further include a sensor coupled with the motor for sensing power consumed by the motor as the motor is powered to drive the tarp roller across the trailer. A controller can be communicatively coupled with the sensor and operatively coupled to the motor and the power supply for switching an energy characteristic of the power supplied to the motor from the power supply between a first characteristic associated with a lower torque and a second characteristic associated with a higher torque by monitoring the power consumed by the motor and switching the energy characteristic when the power consumed by the motor indicates the lower torque is insufficient to drive the tarp roller.