A covering system for extending and retracting a tarp (52, 78) over a vehicle bed of a vehicle, the covering system comprising: a movable reel (54, 70) operatively supported on the vehicle bed by an arm assembly movable to displace said reel (54, 70) from a first side of said vehicle bed to a second side of said vehicle bed; a tarp (52, 78) connected to said vehicle bed and said reel (54, 70), wherein said tarp (52, 78) is rollable onto said reel (54, 70) and unrollable from said reel (54, 70) during displacement of said reel (54, 70) from said first side to said second side to cover said vehicle bed; a motor mounted on said arm assembly and drivingly engaged with said reel to selectively roll and unroll said tarp (52, 78) over said vehicle bed; at least one tarp support bracket (50, 75) mounted on said second side of said vehicle bed having a pocket (57, 80) for receiving said reel (54, 70) therein while permitting rotation of said reel (54, 70) by said motor, said bracket (50, 75) including a roller configuration (60, 81) which rollingly contacts said reel (54, 70) to facilitate tensioning of said tarp (52, 78) during rotation of said reel (54, 70) in said pocket (57, 80) by said motor, characterized in that said roller configuration (60, 81) comprises first and second rollers (61, 63, 82, 83) disposed in spaced relation to rollingly support said reel (54, 70) in said pocket (57, 80), wherein said reel (54, 70) is displaced into said pocket (57, 80) to a lockout position by rotation of said reel (54, 70) and rolling of a portion of said tarp (52, 78) onto said reel (54, 70), wherein said roller configuration (60, 81) provides rolling contact between said reel (54, 70) and said bracket (50, 75) to reduce mechanical binding of said reel (54, 70), and wherein said bracket (50, 75) provides braking of said reel (54, 70) when said reel (54, 70) is displaced to said lockout position to resist reverse rotation of said reel (54, 70) and resist rolling displacement of said reel (54, 70) away from said lockout position. a movable reel (54, 70) operatively supported on the vehicle bed by an arm assembly movable to displace said reel (54, 70) from a first side of said vehicle bed to a second side of said vehicle bed; a tarp (52, 78) connected to said vehicle bed and said reel (54, 70), wherein said tarp (52, 78) is rollable onto said reel (54, 70) and unrollable from said reel (54, 70) during displacement of said reel (54, 70) from said first side to said second side to cover said vehicle bed; a motor mounted on said arm assembly and drivingly engaged with said reel to selectively roll and unroll said tarp (52, 78) over said vehicle bed; at least one tarp support bracket (50, 75) mounted on said second side of said vehicle bed having a pocket (57, 80) for receiving said reel (54, 70) therein while permitting rotation of said reel (54, 70) by said motor, said bracket (50, 75) including a roller configuration (60, 81) which rollingly contacts said reel (54, 70) to facilitate tensioning of said tarp (52, 78) during rotation of said reel (54, 70) in said pocket (57, 80) by said motor, characterized in that said roller configuration (60, 81) comprises first and second rollers (61, 63, 82, 83) disposed in spaced relation to rollingly support said reel (54, 70) in said pocket (57, 80), wherein said reel (54, 70) is displaced into said pocket (57, 80) to a lockout position by rotation of said reel (54, 70) and rolling of a portion of said tarp (52, 78) onto said reel (54, 70), wherein said roller configuration (60, 81) provides rolling contact between said reel (54, 70) and said bracket (50, 75) to reduce mechanical binding of said reel (54, 70), and wherein said bracket (50, 75) provides braking of said reel (54, 70) when said reel (54, 70) is displaced to said lockout position to resist reverse rotation of said reel (54, 70) and resist rolling displacement of said reel (54, 70) away from said lockout position.