A drive system for a paddle belt conveyor comprises a drive shaft and a drive roller rotationally driven by the drive shaft about a first axis. The drive roller exerts traction on a belt of the belt conveyor. The belt comprises a plurality of paddles. The drive system includes a pinch roller mounted rotationally about a second axis parallel to the first axis. The pinch roller pinches the belt between the pinch roller and the drive roller to augment the traction of the drive roller on the belt. Either the drive roller or the pinch roller is a bobbin roller to accommodate the paddles on the belt. The drive system may further include a take-up roller rotatable about a third axis parallel to the first axis, and first and second idler rollers rotatable about fourth and fifth axes parallel to the first axis.
