Date range slider error

I am trying to set a range on this component using strings I have for the current date {date} and a string that represents a time.

Start date is bound to the expression:

toDate({Root Container.Date} + right({Root Container.Start},8))

where a string (Date):

dateFormat(now(),"MM/dd/yyyy ")

and a string (Start):

SELECT Starttime FROM Shifts WHERE Shiftname = '{Root Container.GroupName.selectedStringValue}'

I keep getting errors that look like:

Exception: Error executing expression binding on
ShiftReport.Root Container.Date Range.startDate
caused by ExpressionException: Unable to cast value: ‘05/24/2013 09:00 AM’ to a(n) Date. Try using a failover parameter in your cast function.

Ignition v7.6.0 (b1875)
Java: Sun Microsystems Inc. 1.6.0_45

Can someone point out my mis step?

Try formatting your date like so: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss - the toDate() expression should be able to parse that correctly.