Greyhound Australia will ban unaccompanied passengers under 15 from using its services from September 3, citing safety and scheduling concerns.

The company notified customers via email, citing recent incidents where services were delayed and passengers inconvenienced after parents failed to show at bus stops to pick up their children. The children were taken to police stations.

The Isolated Children's Parents' Association has fielded calls from parents who are upset at the changes and face lengthy drives or expensive flights to get their children to boarding schools across the nation.

Queensland state president Tammie Irons said the changes were disappointing and would inconvenience rural and remote families who relied on the services.

"It'll be really disappointing for those families, to have this service not be able to be utilised," she said.

"We've heard nothing until just the last couple of days — no warning — I'm not sure if they've ever had any consultation or anything like that."

Students entering Somerville House girls' boarding school in Brisbane. Many boarding students use the service to travel long distances to and from their homes. ( ABC News: Kristian Silva )

Pressure for parents

Muttaburra grazier and mother Lisa Magoffin has two of her five children still at boarding schools and said all had used Greyhound services through Longreach at some stage.

"Essentially it's the getting to and from school that's a really important part of our service," she said.

Ms Magoffin said families from outlying towns without flight services would lose out under the changes.

"The bus service is very convenient, it leaves Brisbane at a good time, arrives into the centres and allows people to pick their children up without travelling long distances," she said.

"Are Greyhound going to allow other families to travel together that maybe have a sibling older than 15?"

Mrs Irons said that regional flights were unaffordable for many people and the ICPA was concerned families may have to pay thousands of dollars for similar air services to many country centres.

"We've all got to admit that it's going to be a lot cheaper for families to utilise bus services," she said.

"I think buses are definitely a cost-effective option for parents at the moment and it'll be really disappointing to have that option taken away."

Greyhound services operate in every mainland state.

School concerns

Principal of Blackheath and Thornburgh College in Charters Towers, Nigel Fairbarn, said many of his school's 126 boarders aged as young as 11 used bus services to travel to and from school.

"The impact for me is the cost and the probability of parents not being able to see their children on such a regular basis," he said.

Mr Fairbairn said the school draws students from as far away as the Northern Territory border, including many struggling through drought.

"These sorts of extra burdens being placed on families by Greyhound could be the tipping point for families," he said.

"They're the children who may not come away to boarding school, families may consider keeping them at home," he said.

Greyhound Australia declined to comment.