Overview
Operating hours tell Mobaro when a Location is actually open, so Downtime is measured against real operating time rather than a full 24-hour day. You define operating hours by attaching a Calendar and a time zone to the Location. This article covers how to set them up and — importantly — what they do and don't affect.
Why this matters: Without operating hours, a Downtime that spans overnight or starts before opening counts every elapsed minute. With operating hours, Mobaro trims the out-of-hours minutes so Downtime reports reflect time the ride was actually meant to be running.
How operating hours work
A few specifics are worth understanding before you set this up:
Aspect | Detail |
It's a separate Calendar | The opening-hours Calendar is created specifically for operating hours. It is usually not the same Calendar used for Checklist scheduling — the two serve different purposes and rarely share the same hours. |
Attached to the Location | The Calendar is attached directly to a Location, together with a time zone so the hours are interpreted in the Location's local time. |
One Calendar per Location | A Location can have only one operating-hours Calendar at a time. |
Used only for Downtime math | The Calendar's sole job is to calculate accurate Downtime. It does not gate operation, drive compliance, or enforce anything. |
Note: It's technically possible to reuse a Checklist scheduling Calendar here, but only makes sense if that Calendar happens to represent the Location's open-to-close hours exactly — which is unusual. In almost all cases, create a dedicated Calendar for operating hours.
There is no penalty for inaccurate open days
This is the most commonly misunderstood point. The operating-hours Calendar is used only to calculate Downtime accurately. It is not an attendance or compliance record.
Heads-up: If a Location's Calendar says it's open on a day it isn't actually open, nothing bad happens — there is no flag, no compliance hit, and no effect on readiness. The only consequence is on Downtime calculation: if no Downtime is logged that day, the incorrect open day has no effect at all.
What the Calendar does do is trim out-of-hours time from Downtime. For example, if a Downtime starts at 9:53 AM but the Location's operating hours begin at 10:00 AM, Mobaro removes those 7 minutes — the Downtime is only counted from 10:00 AM onward. The same trimming applies at the end of the operating day.
Open the Location editor
1. Go to Locations
In the Mobaro Backend, navigate to Locations.
2. Select the Location
Choose the Location you want to configure.
3. Open the editor
Click the Edit icon to open the Location editor.
Assign a Calendar and time zone
In the Location editor, find the Opening hours section.
1. Add the Calendar
Click Add calendar and select the Calendar that defines this Location's open hours. If a suitable Calendar doesn't exist yet, create one under Configuration > Calendars first.
2. Set the time zone
Choose the Time zone that matches the Location's local operating hours. This must be set explicitly so the hours are interpreted correctly.
3. Save
Save your changes. Mobaro will use this Calendar and time zone for the Location's Downtime calculations going forward.
Critical: An incorrect time zone produces incorrect Downtime totals — the operating window shifts by the offset, so in-hours minutes get trimmed and out-of-hours minutes get counted. Always confirm the time zone matches the Location's physical location.
How this affects Downtime tracking
Once a Calendar and time zone are assigned:
Downtime is counted only during the defined operating hours.
A Downtime that starts outside operating hours doesn't accrue until the next operating period begins.
Out-of-hours minutes are trimmed from the total (the 9:53 AM vs. 10:00 AM example above).
Heads-up: Downtime is recalculated when the Downtime is closed, not while it's active. While still open, a Downtime can look longer than it really is because it temporarily includes out-of-hours time. Once closed, Mobaro recalculates to the accurate in-hours duration.
For a deeper explanation with worked examples, see how operating hours affect downtime tracking.
Best practices
Use a dedicated Calendar — create a Calendar specifically for operating hours rather than reusing a Checklist scheduling Calendar.
Always set the time zone — an incorrect time zone is the most common cause of inaccurate Downtime totals.
Review Calendars seasonally — recheck linked Calendars under
Schedules > Calendarswhen park or seasonal hours change.Be consistent across Locations — consistent operating hours keep Downtime comparisons on Dashboards and reports meaningful.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is the operating-hours Calendar the same as my Checklist scheduling Calendar?
A: Usually no. The operating-hours Calendar is created separately and attached to the Location. A scheduling Calendar would only work here if it happens to represent the exact open-to-close hours, which is unusual — create a dedicated Calendar instead.
Q: Can I assign more than one Calendar to a Location?
A: No. Each Location supports only one operating-hours Calendar at a time.
Q: What happens if the Calendar says we're open on a day we're actually closed?
A: Nothing is penalized. The Calendar is only used to calculate Downtime accurately — there's no compliance flag or readiness impact. If no Downtime is logged that day, the incorrect open day has no effect at all.
Q: What happens if no Calendar is assigned?
A: Downtime defaults to a full 24-hour day, so out-of-hours time is not trimmed.
Q: Why does a Downtime look longer before it's closed?
A: Mobaro recalculates the trimmed duration when the Downtime is closed. While it's still open, the full elapsed time is shown.
Q: Do I have to set the time zone for every Location?
A: Yes. Each Location needs an explicitly defined time zone so the operating hours are interpreted in local time.