POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Susan Santo,  and Richard Brock,  jointly and severally,  his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each with power of substitution,  for him in any and
all  capacities,  to do any and all acts and things  and to execute  any and all
instruments  which  said  attorneys,  or any of  them,  may  deem  necessary  or
advisable to enable PLM  Financial  Services,  Inc.,  as General  Partner of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and regulations thereunder,  in connection
with the preparation  and filing with the Securities and Exchange  Commission of
annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM  Equipment  Growth  Fund  III,
including  specifically,  but without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the  power and  authority  to sign the name of the  undersigned,  in any and all
capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all amendments  thereto,  and to
any  and all  documents  or  instruments  filed  as a part  of or in  connection
therewith; and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that each of the
said attorneys,  or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do or cause to be done
by virtue  hereof.  This Power of Attorney  is limited in duration  until May 1,
2000 and shall apply only to the annual reports and any amendments thereto filed
with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
3rd day of March, 2000.




                                      /s/ Douglas P. Goodrich
                                      ----------------------------------
                                      Douglas P. Goodrich









<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Susan Santo,  and Richard Brock,  jointly and severally,  his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each with power of substitution,  for him in any and
all  capacities,  to do any and all acts and things  and to execute  any and all
instruments  which  said  attorneys,  or any of  them,  may  deem  necessary  or
advisable to enable PLM  Financial  Services,  Inc.,  as General  Partner of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and regulations thereunder,  in connection
with the preparation  and filing with the Securities and Exchange  Commission of
annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM  Equipment  Growth  Fund  III,
including  specifically,  but without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the  power and  authority  to sign the name of the  undersigned,  in any and all
capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all amendments  thereto,  and to
any  and all  documents  or  instruments  filed  as a part  of or in  connection
therewith; and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that each of the
said attorneys,  or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do or cause to be done
by virtue  hereof.  This Power of Attorney  is limited in duration  until May 1,
2000 and shall apply only to the annual reports and any amendments thereto filed
with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
3rd day of March, 2000.





                                        /s/ Robert N. Tidball
                                        ---------------------------------
                                        Robert N. Tidball









<PAGE>






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Susan Santo,  and Richard Brock,  jointly and severally,  his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each with power of substitution,  for him in any and
all  capacities,  to do any and all acts and things  and to execute  any and all
instruments  which  said  attorneys,  or any of  them,  may  deem  necessary  or
advisable to enable PLM  Financial  Services,  Inc.,  as General  Partner of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and regulations thereunder,  in connection
with the preparation  and filing with the Securities and Exchange  Commission of
annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM  Equipment  Growth  Fund  III,
including  specifically,  but without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the  power and  authority  to sign the name of the  undersigned,  in any and all
capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all amendments  thereto,  and to
any  and all  documents  or  instruments  filed  as a part  of or in  connection
therewith; and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that each of the
said attorneys,  or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do or cause to be done
by virtue  hereof.  This Power of Attorney  is limited in duration  until May 1,
2000 and shall apply only to the annual reports and any amendments thereto filed
with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
3rd day of March, 2000.




                                        /s/ Stephen M. Bess
                                       -----------------------------------
                                       Stephen M. Bess